The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that A24’s “The Invite” is the recipient of the Vanguard Award. The Vanguard Award is a group honor that recognizes a film’s cast and director for their collective work on an exceptional film project. Confirmed attendees for the award presentation include director and actor Olivia Wilde, as well as actors Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton. The Film Awards will take place on January 7th, 2027, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 7th-18th, 2027. Kering will present the event, and Entertainment Tonight will sponsor it.
“With “The Invite,” Olivia Wilde has made a film that is both comedic and deeply human. In addition to directing, she stars alongside three of the most compelling actors working today: Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Each of them brings something irreplaceable to this story, and together they’ve created something that has stayed with audiences long after the credits roll. We are thrilled to honor this incredible team with this year’s Vanguard Award.”
After its celebrated Sundance premiere, “The Invite” became a breakout cultural and box office success, winning over audiences with razor-sharp humor, an irresistible ensemble, and disarming emotional depth. The film has since earned four Gotham Award nominations, including Best Feature, Best Adapted Screenplay, Outstanding Supporting Performance for Penélope Cruz, and the Gotham Audience Award. Masterfully directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, the film finds both hilarity and humanity in the complexities of marriage, intimacy, and the relationships that shape our lives. What begins as a dinner party between two neighboring couples spirals into an unpredictable evening of revelations, desire, and unexpected connection. Beneath its biting comedy is a heartfelt exploration of the messiness of human relationships, and the complicated, often surprising ways we love one another. The screenplay was adapted by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones.
Past recipients of the Vanguard Award include Academy Award Best Picture winners “Green Book” and “The Shape of Water” as well as Best Picture nominees “Belfast,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Hamnet,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “La La Land,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “The Fabelmans,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
What do you think of this news for the Palm Springs International Film Festival? Have you seen “The Invite” yet? If so, what did you think of it? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account.
