Acknowledging his achievements and admiring his life which he spent enriching the cinematic scene worldwide, El-Gouna Film Festival is to honour international superstar Forest Whitaker in its closing ceremony for his distinguished artistic and humanitarian careers. The award is one of three awards the festival plans to honour Egyptian, Arab, and international film-makers with. The first award was announced to be given to the iconic actor Adel Imam, and the festival is yet to announce the third honoured film-maker. "Forest Whitaker is one of the most influential actors in the world," says El-Gouna Film Festival's founder Engineer Naguib Sawiris in a press release, adding "not to mention that he is one of the few film stars whose commitment to the humanitarian values of peace and equality and their role in combatting poverty and hunger remains unwavering." From another side, the festival's director, Intishal Al-Tamemy assured that honouring Whitaker is a part of acknowledging the life devotion he has been doing for cinema expressing that his roles have spotlighted political and social issues no one has done before. "Whitaker is an influential figure on the contemporary film scene, and his skill and fame extend beyond those of a conventional actor, which is evident in his choice to often portray roles of significant social and political dimensions," he said. The prominent director has worked with the world's most talented directors and he was won several awards. Whitaker is the recipient of more than fifty major international awards, including an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of former Ugandan president Idi Amin in Kevin Macdonald's The Last King of Scotland (2006). He also won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in Clint Eastwood's Bird (1988), and the Career Achievement Award at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
