Johnny Depp Gets Outstanding Movie Award But Denounced By High-Profile Women Filmmakers
In the middle of his and his ex-wife's drama and legal battle, Johnny Depp will be awarded a lifetime achievement award by Spain's San Sebastian International Film Festival.
The former "Pirates of the Caribbean" star is set to receive the Donostia Award next month, an award that recognizes "outstanding contributions to the film world."
Per the film festival, Depp is one of the most talented and versatile actors in contemporary cinema.
Some of his critically-acclaimed roles are in movies such as "Murder in the Orient Express," "Fantastic Beasts," "Alice In Wonderland," "Charlie In the Chocolate Factory," "Edward Scissorhands," "Sleepy Hollow" and "Once Upon A Time in Mexico."
Other actors who are recipients of the Donostia Award include Penelope Cruz, Ethan Hawke, Judy Dench, and Viggo Mortensen.
However, a high-profile group of female filmmakers is protesting for the award for Johnny Depp.
The Association of Female Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media in Spain, Cristina Andreu, said she was surprised to find out by the festival's decision to give the lifetime achievement award to Depp.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Andreu expressed her disappointment, saying, "This speaks very badly of the festival and its leadership, and transmits a terrible message to the public: 'It doesn't matter if you are an abuser as long as you are a good actor.'"
But this isn't the only film festival that wishes to honor Johnny Depp and his acting. The Karlovy Vary international film festival in the Czech Republic is also reportedly planning to celebrate the fallen actor this month.
Neither of the film festivals' statements mentioned the scandal surrounding him and his career, following his loss in a libel case against British tabloid The Sun where the high court in the UK concluded he physically abused his ex-wife Amber Heard several times.
This is what the Spanish women filmmakers are protesting about, already deciding that Depp is an abuser and shouldn't be honored or awarded because of it.
And though a couple of movies have decided to drop Johnny Depp and his baggage, fans are still devoted to him because they believe that the actor is not an abuser and, in fact, his ex-wife Amber Heard is the one lying about the entire thing.
