New Trier High School grad Bruce Dern plans to return to the area next month to receive a career achievement award from the Chicago International Film Festival.
Receiving his best reviews in years for his turn in the Alexander Payne movie “Nebraska,” Dern will will appear at the Oct 16 Chicago premiere of the film at the AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois. Dern won the best actor award at May’s Cannes Film Festival for his work in the movie.
Dern plays an alcoholic who hauls his son (Will Forte) on a road trip from Montana to Nebraska so he can redeem a sweepstakes ticket he’s convinced is a winner.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, Dern appeared in acclaimed films including “Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte,” “Silent Running,” “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?,” “The King Of Marvin Gardens,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Monster” and “Django Unchained.” He was Oscar-nominated for “Coming Home” (1978).
He grew up in Winnetka and Glencoe and once told the Sun-Times, ”I went to school with Ann-Margret and maybe I had a little crush on her. Let’s just say I had a great affection for her.”
Ten- and 20-show passes for the Oct. 10-24 festival are on sale now at www.chicagofilmfestival.com. Tickets to individual screenings go on sale Sept. 21.
