LCIFF Announces Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment Award Recipient

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Celebrating its tenth year as the premiere film festival in southern New Mexico, the Las Cruces International Film Festival has announced that it will this year honor Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt with its Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment Award. The festival will run from April 9-13, at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, with a screening of Hunt’s award-winning performance in “As Good As It Gets,” on April 10, at the Allen Theatres Cineport, followed by a question and answer session.

Helen Hunt has enjoyed a prolific career in Hollywood, not only as an actress but as an accomplished writer, director, and producer. As an actress, her extensive and diverse body of work includes roles in film, theater, and television. She won a Best Actress Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role in As Good As It Gets. For her role as Jamie Buchman in Mad About You, Hunt garnered four Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards (three as lead actress and one as Producer for Best Comedy), and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Her most recent films include “I See You” and “The Night Clerk.” She is currently in production on a movie with Dustin Hoffman, directed by Peter Greenaway.

Las Cruces International Film Festival founder and Executive Director Ross Marks said, “Helen Hunt is an extraordinary actress with incredible range. She has excelled in comedy, drama, and everything in between, [making her] the perfect honoree to celebrate the film festival’s 10th year. She is the consummate entertainment professional whose success both in front of and behind the camera is remarkable. We are ecstatic to honor Helen Hunt at the 2025 film festival.”

Past recipients of the LCIFF celebrated award include Ron Perlman, Giancarlo Esposito, William H Macy, Danny Trejo, Brendan Fraser, George Lopez, Cybill Shepherd, Richard Dreyfuss and Edward James Olmos.

Recognized as the largest student-run film festival in the country, LCIFF has become a significant platform for aspiring filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts alike, drawing nearly 10,000 attendees each year. This year, LCIFF will screen over 100 films ranging from narrative features, documentary features, short films, animation, and music videos from 50 different countries.

“This festival is not only a celebration of film but also an extraordinary opportunity for our students whose hard work and dedication make this event such a success,” Marks said. “Having been to over 60 film festivals as a filmmaker myself, it was my dream to create a world-class film festival in my hometown of Las Cruces, New Mexico with the students and for the students of New Mexico State University. The festival, now its tenth year, has exceeded even my greatest expectations.”

In addition to honoring Hunt, LCIFF will celebrate Michelle Hurd with the Outstanding Achievement in Drama award; and Cyrus Nowrasteh will be recognized with the Outstanding Achievement in Directing award. The Opening Night film, “Brewmance” features Alex Moffatt, Kennedy McMann, Steven Ogg, and Zoey Colletti, and is directed by New Mexico filmmaker Keagan Karnes.

The LCIFF Poster Party will be from 6-8 p.m., Friday, March 7, 2025, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum and will feature the 2024 collectible poster as designed by artist Virginia Maria Romero. VIP tickets will be on sale for the discounted price of $150 at the poster party only. Admission is $30. Ticket prices for LCIFF outside the party are $200 for VIP passes, $100 for All-Access passes, $35 for Day passes, and $35 for the As Good As It Gets celebrity screening. To purchase tickets and for more information go to www.lascrucesfilmfest.com. For more information contact Ross Marks at rossm@nmsu.edu, or (575) 646-6149.

Las Cruces International Film Festival, Helen Hunt, Michelle Hurd, Cyrus Nowrasteh

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