‘Avatar’ production designer, ‘Taxi’ TV star to be honored at SLO Film Festival

The Academy Award-winning production designer behind “Avatar” will receive the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s highest honor later this month.

Rick Carter is slated to accept the King Vidor Award, named after the Oscar-winning director of “War and Peace,” on Sunday, April 29, at the Fremont Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo as part of the festival’s Filmmakers Awards.

Also being honored by the festival is veteran actor Judd Hirsch.

The two-time Oscar nominee will receive the Spotlight Award on Sunday, April 30, at the Fremont prior to a Closing Night Gala screening of Holocaust survivor dramedy “iMordecai.”

In a news release, festival director Skye McLennan noted that both honorees worked on Stephen Spielberg’s coming-of-age drama “The Fabelmans.”

“This may be the first time SLO Film Fest has had a pair of honorees connected by one of their most recent films,” she said in the release. “They are both extremely talented. We are excited to celebrate their accomplishments and have them share their stories with the SLO Film Festival attendees.”

Although he won his first Oscar for his work on James Cameron’s “Avatar,” Carter’s career has largely been shaped by his collaborations with two other directors.

He’s worked with Robert Zemekis on movies including “Cast Away,” “Forrest Gump” and two “Back to the Future” films, and collaborated with Steven Spielberg on films including “Jurassic Park,” “War of the Worlds” and “War Horse.”

Carter earned a second Academy Award for his work on “Lincoln,” directed by Spielberg.

His most recent collaboration with Spielberg was “The Fabelmans,” which garnered seven Oscar nominations including a production design nod for Carter.

Hirsch, who plays a small but pivotal role in “The Fabelmans,” was nominated for best supporting actor — breaking the record for the longest gap between Academy Award nominations. He also earned an Oscar nomination for 1980’s “Ordinary People.”

Described in the release as “a singular presence in film, television and the theater for six decades, Hirsch is best known as the Emmy Award-winning star of classic sitcom “Taxi.”

His other television credits include “Dear John” and “Numb3rs,” while his film resume includes “A Beautiful Mind, “Running on Empty” and two “Independence Day” movies.

Tickets for the Awards Night Gala on April 29 cost $20 to $25, while admission to the Closing Night Gala on April 30 costs $12 to $25.

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival runs April 25-30 at locations around San Luis Obispo County. For more information, call 805-546-3456 or visit slofilmfest.org.