Giancarlo Esposito to be honored at 2023 Las Cruces International Film Festival

LAS CRUCES – The Las Cruces International Film Festival announced Wednesday that actor Giancarlo Esposito, known for his involvement in the “Star Wars” and “Breaking Bad” franchises, will be the recipient of the “Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment” award at the 2023 festival.

The eighth annual LCIFF will be held April 12-16, 2023 at the Allen Theatres Cineport 10 with screenings of locally made or represented films, student films, demonstrations and appearances from special guests.

Esposito is the event headliner and will be in town to accept the award April 13. He is well-known for his portrayal of Gus Fring in the New Mexico filmed “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” television dramas, and the antagonist Moff Gideon in the popular “Star War” installment, “The Mandalorian.”

According to a news release, Esposito will speak to New Mexico State University students about his career and answer their questions about the entertainment industry. Later that evening, he will receive the festival award and attend a special screening of one of his films. Following the film, Esposito will be on hand for a question-and-answer session with audience members.

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

More: William H. Macy talks Las Cruces International Film Fest, his career and ukulele gigs

“Giancarlo Esposito is an iconic New Mexico actor known for his historic roles in ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul.’ His outstanding and diverse body of work has brought so much recognition to our great state. It is a thrill the Las Cruces International Film Festival can honor him in person. He is the consummate character actor whose values and work ethic reflect Las Cruces. We are beyond ecstatic to have him as the face of the 2023 film festival,” said Ross Marks, LCIFF founder and executive director.

Esposito is involved in several upcoming projects, including Netflix’s latest original drama series “Kaleidoscope,” which follows the story of a master thief who attempts a $7 billion heist with his crew. The series has gained attention lately because of its unique, nonlinear approach to storytelling. It is set to premiere Jan. 1, 2023.

He will also return as Moff Gideon in the third season of “The Mandalorian” which is set to release on Disney+ March 1, 2023.

Tickets for the eighth annual film festival are already available for purchase online at lascrucesfilmfest.com. Tickets for the celebrity screening with Esposito are $25. Day passes are $25, all-access passes are $75 and VIP passes are $150.

The LCIFF Poster Party is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2023 at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. The festival’s official collectible poster will be revealed, designed by artist Rush Allen. Admission to the party is $25.

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Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Giancarlo Esposito to be honored at 2023 Las Cruces International Film Festival