Naomi Watts receives Donostia Award at San Sebastián Film Festival

British-Australian actress Naomi Watts has been honored with the Donostia Award for her career at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival. Receiving the award from filmmaker J. A. Bayona, Watts used her speech to advocate for greater representation of women over 50 in cinema, stating, “We need to see ourselves reflected on the screens.”

Watts expressed deep gratitude to the late director David Lynch, noting that his decision to cast her in ‘Mulholland Drive’ transformed her life and helped her overcome a decade of professional rejections. She described Lynch as a mentor who taught her to trust her instincts and embrace uncertainty.

In addition to receiving the lifetime achievement honor, Watts presented her latest film, ‘The Housewife,’ directed by Ben Shirinian. The film, set in 1964 New York, follows a woman with a hidden past as a Nazi concentration camp guard. During the press conference, Watts discussed the film's themes of duality and the importance of remaining vigilant against rising social hatred and intolerance.