“In The Danish Girl, Alicia Vikander delivers a superb performance as Gerda Wegener, the wife of transgender pioneer Lili Elbe,” said Matzner. “She projects so much love and pain as she goes on a journey with Lili during an era when there was no precedent for it. Gerda’s own transformation as a character speaks to the story’s themes of courage and self-acceptance. For her astonishing screen presence and masterful performance, we are delighted to present Alicia Vikander with the 2016 Rising Star Award.”
Vikander joins a list of actors who’ve received the Rising Star award that includes Jessica Biel, Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch, Bryce Dallas Howard, Terrence Howard, Anna Kendrick, Jennifer Lawrence, and Scarlett Johansson. Vikander’s other credits include The Man From U.N.C.L.E., A Royal Affair, Anna Karenina, and Pure.
The 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival will take place January 1 through 11, 2016. Other honorees will include Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender, Brie Larson, Tom McCarthy, and Saoirse Ronan.
