Johnny Depp to get lifetime achievement award at San Sebastián Film Festival

KNOWN for his parts in everything from Pirates of the Caribbean to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Johnny Depp's 37-year career – which started with Nightmare on Elm Street - will be rewarded at San Sebastián Film Festival next month.

The Donostia Prize – which takes the city's name in the Basque language, euskera – is given to a different actor or actress every year in recognition of their lifetime achievement; Depp's co-star in Blow, Penélope Cruz, has already received one.

This year's festival in the northern beach city, on September 22, will be the 69th edition, and the Edward Scissorhands star will be the central figure as a tribute to his long trajectory on both sides of the camera: Lately, he has been producing and directing instead.

His documentary film Crock of Gold: Drinking with Shane MacGowan, about the life of the Irish singer of the same name and lead vocalist of the legendary Fairytale of New York band The Pogues, was, in fact, partly shot in San Sebastián.

Some of the reason for his focusing on off-screen rôles has been due to media controversy linked to his acrimonious divorce from Amber Heard, which involved allegations of domestic violence leading to his losing his ongoing part in Fantastic Beasts.

These allegations have led to various associations of women in arts to calling for the Donostia Prize to go to someone else, arguing that 'now is not the time' for Depp to take centre stage.

Many of the other cinema stars expected to be present at this year's festival have yet to confirm, but their works – recent and classic – will be shown for the public in sessions starting on September 17.

They include Icíar Bollaín, Alejandro Amenábar (of The Others, and the original Vanilla Sky film, Abre los Ojos or 'Open your Eyes'), Paco Plaza and Fernando León de Aranoa.

A selection of the most popular films from other festivals will be aired, including Competencia Oficial (Official Competitors) with Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz, and Titane, which won the recent Cannes Film Festival.