'Argo' Ensemble to Receive Film Festival Award

Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston singled out for their roles

Site Staff Arts & Entertainment

Ben Affleck acted and directed the movie, Argo.
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Actors Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston from the movie, Argo, will accept the Ensemble Performance Award at the 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Jan. 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Hosted by Mary Hart, the Awards Gala will also present awards to previously announced honorees Helen Hunt, Naomi Watts and Robert Zemeckis. The Festival runs Jan. 3-14.

Argo features a plethora of colorful characters brought to life by an outstanding acting ensemble,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner.

Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis. The drama focuses on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood played — information that was not declassified until many years after the event. Affleck directs and stars in the film, which also stars Cranston, Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler and Chris Messina.

Argo is produced by Grant Heslov, Affleck, and George Clooney. The screenplay is by Chris Terrio, based on a selection from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired Magazine article, “The Great Escape”, by Joshuah Bearman.