Naomi Watts to receive San Sebastián’s Donostia Award

Naomi Watts will receive the Donostia Award at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival, adding one of the event’s highest career honors to a résumé that spans independent cinema and global studio hits.

The British actor and producer is scheduled to accept the prize on September 19. The ceremony will be followed by a screening of The Housewife, the feature directing debut of Canadian filmmaker Ben Shirinian.

A career that moves between art house and blockbuster

Watts broke through internationally with David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, a performance that established her as a commanding presence in psychologically complex material. She later earned Academy Award nominations for 21 Grams and The Impossible, while reaching broad audiences through films including The Ring and Peter Jackson’s King Kong.

That range is central to the festival’s recognition. Over four decades, Watts has moved between intimate dramas, thrillers, prestige television and large-scale productions without settling into a single screen identity.

Her latest project continues that pattern. The Housewife follows a young New York Times journalist who believes he has located a former Nazi officer living in Queens. The investigation changes when the reporter forms a connection with the suspect’s wife, placing personal trust and historical accountability in conflict.

Two major honorees for the 2026 festival

Watts is the second Donostia Award recipient announced for this year’s festival. German filmmaker Werner Herzog will also receive the honor, giving the 2026 edition two honorees known for careers that have crossed borders and challenged conventional storytelling.

The festival runs from September 18 through September 26 in San Sebastián, Spain. Its Donostia Award has long recognized performers and filmmakers whose body of work has made a lasting contribution to cinema.

For Watts, the ceremony will pair a look back at a varied career with the premiere showcase of a new film. It is a fitting combination for an actor whose most memorable roles have repeatedly balanced mainstream visibility with riskier, character-driven choices.