Julianne Moore to Receive Icon Award at SCAD Savannah Film Festival

The Savannah College of Art and Design will present Julianne Moore with the Icon Award at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, running Oct. 24-31. The festival has also set Jesse Eisenberg's A24 musical comedy "The Debut," starring Moore, as its Centerpiece selection.

The announcements follow the news that SCAD will open its 29th edition with Bleecker Street's "A Talent for Murder," directed by Anton Corbijn and starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren. Mirren will also be honored at the festival.

For Moore, the award caps a remarkable stretch. She won the Academy Award for best actress for "Still Alice," a performance that also earned her the Golden Globe and BAFTA prizes. She holds four additional Academy Award nominations, for "Boogie Nights," "The End of the Affair," "Far from Heaven" and "The Hours." On television, she won an Emmy for her portrayal of Sarah Palin in the 2012 TV movie "Game Change."

Her festival-circuit record stands apart. Moore is the first American woman to claim top acting honors at Venice, Berlin and Cannes, winning for "Far from Heaven," "The Hours" and "Maps to the Stars," respectively.

Eisenberg writes and directs "The Debut" and composed its original songs. Paul Giamatti plays the imperious director who pulls Moore's character, Mona, into his orbit, while Halle Bailey and Bernadette Peters round out the cast. The project reunites Moore with Eisenberg after his 2022 directorial debut, "When You Finish Saving the World." The film held its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, where it received a rapturous reception, followed by its Canadian premiere at TIFF earlier this month.

"Julianne Moore is one of the most extraordinary actors of her generation, bringing emotional depth, wit and humanity to every role she inhabits," said Christina Routhier, senior executive director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. "Her extraordinary career represents the very best of cinematic artistry, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Savannah to celebrate her work with our students, our community and audiences from around the world."

Moore's next move returns her to the New York stage for the first time since her 2006 Broadway debut in David Hare's "The Vertical Hour." She will play the title role in Sarah Ruhl's "Faydra," a modern take on the Greek myth of Phaedra, directed by Les Waters for Manhattan Theatre Club. Previews begin Feb. 2 at New York City Center Stage I, with opening night set for Feb. 25.

Festival passes for the 2026 SCAD Savannah Film Festival are on sale now. Individual event tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 2.