
Joseph Plateau Honorary Award
The Joseph Plateau Honorary Award is presented to distinguished guests of Film Fest Ghent whose achievements have earned them a special and distinct place in the history of international filmmaking.
The award itself is a replica of professor Joseph Plateau’s Phenakistiscope, the device he designed to illustrate his theory of the persistence of vision, which became the basic principle behind the idea of “moving images”. Plateau invented the Phenakistiscope, an animation device which creates the illusion of motion.

- Emily Watson, actor (UK) - 2024
- Michel Khleifi, director (PS) - 2024
- Terence Davies, director (UK, posthumous) - 2023
- Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, director (Japan) - 2023
- Céline Sciamma, director (FR) - 2022
- Raoul Servais, filmmaker (BE) - 2022
- Andrea Arnold, director (UK) - 2021
- Harry Kümel, director (Belgium) - 2021
- Viggo Mortensen, actor and director (USA/Denmark) - 2020
- Géraldine Chaplin, actress (USA) - 2019
- Agustí Villaronga, director (Spain) - 2019
- Dirk Impens, Producer (Belgium) - 2018
- Pierre Drouot, Producer (Belgium) - 2017
- Johan Leysen, actor (Belgium) - 2017
- Greta Scacchi, actress (Italy) - 2017
- Ken Loach, director (UK) - 2016
- Jeremy Thomas, Producer (UK) - 2016
- Sir Alan Parker, director (UK) - 2015
Géraldine Chaplin, actress (USA)
2019
Agustí Villaronga, director (Spain)
2019
Johan Leysen, actor (Belgium)
2017
Pierre Drouot, Producer (Belgium)
2017
Greta Scacchi, actress (Italy)
2017
Ken Loach, director (UK)
2016
Jeremy Thomas, Producer (UK)
2016
Sir Alan Parker, director (UK)
2015
- Christopher Plummer, actor (Canada) - 2015
- Paul Schrader, director (USA) - 2013
- István Szabó, director (Hungary) - 2013
- Jacques Dubrulle, former festival director (Belgium) - 2013
- Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, directors (Italy) - 2012
- Emmanuelle Riva, actress (France) - 2012
- Isabelle Huppert, actress (France) - 2011
- Norman Jewison, director (USA) - 2011
- Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne, directors (Belgium) - 2011
- Chris Lomme, actress (Belgium) - 2011
- Catherine Deneuve, actress (France) - 2010
Christopher Plummer, actor (Canada)
2015
Paul Schrader, director (USA)
2013
István Szabó, director (Hungary)
2013
Jacques Dubrulle, former festival director (Belgium)
2013
Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, directors (Italy)
2012
Emmanuelle Riva, actress (France)
2012
Isabelle Huppert, actress (France)
2011
Norman Jewison, director (USA)
2011
Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne, directors (Belgium)
2011
Chris Lomme, actress (Belgium)
2011

- Paul Greengrass, director (UK) - 2010
- Dirk Brossé, composer (Belgium) - 2010
- Kevin Costner, actor and director (USA) - 2009
- Claude Miller, director (France) - 2009
- Andy Garcia, actor and director (USA) - 2009
- Woody Harrelson, actor (USA) - 2008
- Richard Jenkins, actor (USA) - 2008
- Walter Parkes & Laurie MacDonald, producers (USA) - 2008
- Kathleen Turner, actress (USA) - 2007
- Danny Glover, actor (USA) - 2007
Paul Greengrass, director (UK)
2010
Dirk Brossé, composer (Belgium)
2010
Kevin Costner, actor and director (USA)
2009
Claude Miller, director (France)
2009
Andy Garcia, actor and director (USA)
2009
Woody Harrelson, actor (USA)
2008
Richard Jenkins, actor (USA)
2008
Walter Parkes & Laurie MacDonald, producers (USA)
2008
Danny Glover, actor (USA)
2007

- Walter Hill, director (USA) - 2007
- Agnes Varda, director (France) - 2006
- Mike Leigh, director (UK) - 2005
- Alan Ladd Jr, producer (USA) - 2005
- Zbigniew Preisner, composer (Poland) - 2005
- Nand Buyl, actor (Belgium) - 2005
- Lord Richard Attenborough, director and actor (UK) - 2004
- Toni Curtis, actor (USA) - 2003
- Jeanne Moreau, actress (France) - 2002
- Juliette Binoche, actress (France) - 2002 (JPP Holemans Award)
Walter Hill, director (USA)
2007
Mike Leigh, director (UK)
2005
Alan Ladd Jr, producer (USA)
2005
Zbigniew Preisner, composer (Poland)
2005
Nand Buyl, actor (Belgium)
2005
Lord Richard Attenborough, director and actor (UK)
2004
Toni Curtis, actor (USA)
2003
Juliette Binoche, actress (France)
2002

- Jean Reno, actor (France) - 2002
- Hanna Schygulla, actress (Germany) - 2002
- Jan Van Raemdonck, producer (Belgium) - 2002
- Roland Verhavert, director (Belgium) - 2002
- Blair Underwood, actor (USA) - 2002
- Gabriel Yared, composer (France) - 2001
- Bertrand Tavernier, director (France) - 2001
- Roy E. Disney, Vice chairman Walt Disney Company (USA) - 2001
- Richard & Lili Fini Zanuck, producers (USA) - 2001
- Roger Corman, director (USA) - 2001
- Morgan Freeman, actor (USA) – 2000
Jean Reno, actor (France)
2002
Hanna Schygulla, actress (Germany)
2002
Blair Underwood, actor (USA)
2002
Roy E. Disney, Vice chairman Walt Disney Company (USA)
2001
Roger Corman, director (USA)
2001
Morgan Freeman, actor (USA)
2000

- Hans Zimmer, composer (Germany) - 2000
- Stanley Donen, director (USA) - 1999
- Sandra Bullock, actress (USA) - 1999
- Irwin Winkler, producer (USA) - 1999
- Peter Greenaway, director (UK) - 1999
- Bonnie Arnold, producer (USA) - 1999
- Robert Wise, director (USA) - 1998
- Elmer Bernstein, composer (USA) - 1998
- Sir Peter Ustinov, actor (UK) - 1998
- Shohei Imamura, director (Japan) – 1998

- Alain Resnais, director (France) - 1998
- Gina Lollobrigida, actress (Italy) - 1997
- Sydney Pollack, director (USA) - 1997
- Sir David Puttnam, producer (UK) - 1997
- James Earl Jones, actor (USA) - 1995
- Gabrielle Claes, conservator Royal Belgian Film Archive (Belgium) - 1995
- Henri Storck, director (Belgium) - 1994
- John Hurt, actor (UK) - 1994
- Jean-Claude Petit, composer (France) - 1994
- Robert Altman, director (USA) - 1993
- Philippe Sarde, composer (France) - 1993
- Alain Cuny, actor (France) - 1992
- Carl Davis, composer (USA) - 1992
- André Delvaux, director (Belgium) - 1991
- Michel Legrand, composer (France) - 1991
Sandra Bullock, actress (USA)
1999
Bonnie Arnold, producer (USA)
1999
Alain Cuny, actor (France)
1992