Academy Award-winning star Emma Thompson will be honoured by the Locarno Film Festival where her latest action thriller, The Dead of Winter — on which she also serves as executive producer — will have its world première. The film is directed by Brian Kirk. 

The 78th edition of Locarno will begin from August 6. Thompson is being celebrated by the Swiss fest, which is Europe’s preeminent event dedicated to indie cinema, with its Leopard Club Award. The actor, 66,  is being praised by Locarno for a career in acting, writing, and producing that spans both television and film, and ranges from independent features to major blockbusters.

A statement from the fest read: “Thompson’s willingness to take risks with her roles has meant that she has remained a vital force on stage and screen for four decades, a testament to the depth of affection multiple generations of fans hold for her.”