CHICAGO — As part of the Gene Siskel Film Center’s 50th Anniversary, Matt Damon will be honored with the Film Center’s Renaissance Award during a special event on June 25, where he will be interviewed in a virtual conversation by Robert Downey Jr.
“Matt’s prolific career and discerning choice of roles makes him one of the most impactful filmmakers of our generation,” said the Film Center’s executive director Jean de St. Aubin in a statement. The award “honors the body of work of a filmmaker who has advanced the art of cinema,” and in the past has gone to Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, Scarlett Johansson and George Lucas.
Damon’s career has been a long and varied, with an early breakthrough in a starring role with 1997′s “Good Will Hunting,” which he wrote with Ben Affleck and which won them the Oscar for best screenplay. Damon subsequent screenwriting credits also include “Gerry,” “Promised Land” and “The Last Duel.”
His acting credits are extensive and include everything from “Saving Private Ryan” to “The Talented Mr. Ripley” to the “Bourne” franchise to “The Departed” to “Oceans Eleven” to “The Martian.” He’s also done comedy, appearing on several episodes of the sitcom “30 Rock.”
Tickets for the event, which will be projected onto the Film Center’s screens, are available to donors who make a gift of $1,000 or more to the Film Center’s 50th Anniversary fundraising campaign. To reserve tickets, you can email Jenna Mrotek at jmrotek@saic.com.
———
For more info go to www.siskelfilmcenter.org/50th-anniversary-fundraiser
———
