18/11/2008

On December 5, Women in Film and Television (WFTV) will honour BAFTA-winning actress Julie Walters with their highest tribute – the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Walters’ breakthrough film was Educating Rita, which won her a Best Actress BAFTA and a Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical Golden Globe. She also won a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Billy Elliot. She was nominated for Academy Awards for those films too.

She is also known for her roles in Calendar Girls, Mamma Mia! and the Harry Potter films, besides her numerous television roles, which have fetched her three consecutive BAFTA TV Best Actress awards.

WFTV UK CEO Kate Kinninmont said, “Julie has undoubtedly become one of the country’s national treasures and she has amassed an extraordinary body of work in a relatively short number of years. At only 58, she is the youngest ever recipient of our Lifetime Achievement Award, a great testament to her talent and creativity.”

Walters said, “I feel extremely privileged to be the recipient of such a great award. The world of film and television is represented by a raft of talented women, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the fabulous women I have worked, laughed and cried with in the course of my career!”

WFTV is a membership organisation for women working in film, television and digital media. Members are drawn from across the industry, including producers, directors, actors, presenters, interactive content creators, composers, designers, editors, directors of photography, researchers and writers.

Previous Lifetime Achievement Award winners include Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Diana Rigg.