#Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Winterbottom to Receive Raindance Film Festival’s Icon Awards

British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and British director Michael Winterbottom will receive this year’s Raindance Icon Awards.

Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, The Martian) will be presented with his award at Raindance’s opening gala U.K. premiere of Tilman Singer’s Cuckoo in London, and Winterbottom during Raindance’s jury awards ceremony a week later.

Raindance founder Elliot Grove said: “As part of Raindance’s midsummer celebrations, it’s a privilege for us to bask in the radiance that surrounds this year’s Raindance Icon Award recipients. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Winterbottom have made important and outstanding contributions to independent cinema, both in front of and behind the camera. We are proud to recognize and honor their achievements with this award.”

Ejiofor said: “I continue to admire the Raindance Film Festival’s intensely independent spirit, and it’s wonderful that Raindance focuses on nurturing, inspiring, and educating up-and-coming talent. I am delighted to be a recipient of the festival’s Icon Award.”

Winterbottom (A Mighty Heart, Welcome to Sarajevo) has directed three films that have been nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, seven films that have been nominated for the Golden Bear at Berlin, and one that was nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice. He said: “Raindance has done a huge amount to support independent filmmaking in this country and around the world for more than 30 years so it is a real honor to receive the festival’s Icon Award.”

The Icon Award is the festival’s signature award, honoring and celebrating the icons of independent cinema. Previous recipients include David Yates, Vanessa Redgrave, Jonathan Pryce, Gemma Arterton, Sir Michael Caine, Sally Hawkins, Jude Law, Olivia Colman, Terry Gilliam, and Guy Richie.

The U.K.’s Raindance Film Festival will take place from June 19-29.