Ethan Hawke to receive Career Achievement Award at 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival

Ethan Hawke will be presented with the Career Achievement Award at the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival, the organisers announced on November 24. The award recognises a performer’s impressive body of work.

The ceremony will take place on January 3 at the Palm Springs Convention Centre. In addition to Hawke, Leonardo DiCaprio will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.

Adam Sandler is set to be honoured with the Chairman’s Award for his role in Netflix’s Jay Kelly, while Michael B. Jordan will receive the Icon Award for his performance in Sinners.

The cast of Sentimental Value will be recognised with the International Star Award for their ensemble performance. Cast members Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning are expected to attend, with director Joachim Trier presenting the honour.

The film Hamnet will also be awarded the Vanguard Award, with director Chloé Zhao and stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal expected to accept the recognition.

Past recipients of the Chairman’s Award include Timothée Chalamet, who went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, as well as Amy Adams, George Clooney, Viola Davis, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Regina King, Gary Oldman, and Reese Witherspoon.

The Film Society produces the Palm Springs International Film Festival and runs from January 2 to 11, 2026. It is one of the first major stops on the campaign trail for the Oscars, alongside the Palm Springs ShortFest held each June.

The festival has a history of celebrating both established and rising talent in Hollywood, and this year’s lineup reflects a mix of veteran performers and ensemble casts that have drawn attention from critics and audiences alike.