One of the RomeFilmFest’s main sections, and a true example of its spirit, is The Actor’s Craft, a tribute to great masters in the art of acting. This section encompasses screenings, meetings, workshops and a series of films. The recipient of the first edition of the RomeFilmFest’s Acting Award is the Scottish performer Sean Connery, a film star who has turned charm and elegance into one of the trademarks of his career.

 

This prize is recognition of a cultivated and sophisticated man, proud of his roots and his life. Connery will receive the award on October 13th at the Auditorium’s Sinopoli Hall. Moreover, a retrospective of 14 films, jointly selected by the actor himself and the RomeFilmFest’s artistic staff headed by Mario Sesti, will be screened to celebrate the great Scottish actor. 14 movies chosen for their overall value and to illustrate Sir Sean Connery’s artistic career. The spotlight will certainly shine on Agent 007, James Bond, with From Russia With Love (1963) – the film that turned the character into an icon– and Never Say Never Again (1983), where Connery played Bond again after 12 years (his previous performance as 007 was in Diamonds are Forever, 1971). 

 

In order to show his skilful acting and ingenuity for choosing roles, the selected movies will highlight Connery’s versatility and talent. The programme features works by filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock (the thrilling Marnie, 1964), Sidney Lumet (the dramatic war film The Hill, 1965), John Milius (the fascinating blend of romance, politics and adventure in The Wind and the Lion, 1975), John Huston (The Man Who Would Be King, 1975, an exotic tale based on Rudyard Kipling’s story) and Fred Zinnemann (the intense love story Five Days One Summer, 1982).
 
Some roles saw Connery transformed into characters like the fearless militant miner Jack Kehoe in The Molly Maguires (1970), the revolutionary Zed in the sci-fi masterpiece by John Boorman, Zardoz (1974), or even Agamemnon in an amazing time-travel adventure in Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits (1981).
 
And there’s more. The Edinburgh-born actor breathed new life into Robin Hood, creating an older, ironic version of the character for Robin and Marian (1976), and he has excelled in spy movies (The Russia House, 1990) and action films (The Hunt of the October Red, 1990). In the last few years, Connery has added new characters to his collection, like his role in Gus Van Sant’s Finding Forrester (2000), a film which also saw him producing and personally choosing the main actor (Robert Brown) and the locations, between New York and Toronto.