Cast and director of ‘The Invite’ to receive Vanguard Award at Palm Springs Film Fest
Palm Springs, Calif. (KESQ) – The cast and director of A24’s The Invite will receive the Vanguard Award at the 2027 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Director and actor Olivia Wilde, as well as actors Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, are confirmed to attend the award presentation, organizers said.
The Vanguard Award is a group honor distinguishing a film's cast and director in recognition of their collective work on an exceptional film project.
The Film Awards will take place on January 7, 2027, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 7-18, 2027. The event will be presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“With The Invite, Olivia Wilde has made a film that is both comedic and deeply human. In addition to directing, she stars alongside three of the most compelling actors working today: Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Each of them brings something irreplaceable to this story, and together they’ve created something that has stayed with audiences long after the credits roll. We are thrilled to honor this incredible team with this year’s Vanguard Award.”
Following its celebrated Sundance premiere, The Invite became a breakout cultural and box office success, winning over audiences with its razor-sharp humor, irresistible ensemble, and disarming emotional depth.
The film has since earned four Gotham Award nominations, including Best Feature, Best Adapted Screenplay, Outstanding Supporting Performance for Penélope Cruz, and the Gotham Audience Award.
Masterfully directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, the film finds both hilarity and humanity in the complexities of marriage, intimacy, and the relationships that shape our lives. What begins as a dinner party between two neighboring couples spirals into an unpredictable evening of revelations, desire, and unexpected connection. Beneath its biting comedy is a heartfelt exploration of the messiness of human relationships, and the complicated, often surprising ways we love one another.
The screenplay was adapted by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones.
Past recipients of the Vanguard Award include Academy Award Best Picture winners Green Book and The Shape of Water , as well as Best Picture nominees Belfast, Emilia Pérez, Hamnet, Killers of the Flower Moon, La La Land, Little Miss Sunshine, The Fabelmans, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing announcements on the 2027 Palm Springs International Film Festival.
