Rotorua born and bred Cliff Curtis has once again been recognised for his sterling performances.
With an acting career that includes one of NZ's most powerful films, Once Were Warriors, Curtis has undeniably proved himself again in the 2014 New Zealand Film – Dark Horse which had rave reviews at the Toronto Film Festival.
Curtis will be honoured with an American Cinematheque Award on October 11 at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Variety magazine reports.
The award recognises those committed to making a significant contribution to the art of the motion pictures. Over the years, extraordinary artists like Eddie Murphy, Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr and Reece Witherspoon have all received the prestigious award.
Curtis played the lead role Genesis Potini in The Dark Horse. The story explores the life of a speed chess genius who suffered from bipolar disorder and worked with underprivileged children in New Zealand.
Curtis told Variety magazine, “It was a new thing for me and trying to negotiate what that means, to inhabit a character, to live in his clothes and take on that physicality to transform myself - I lived like that for a number of months.”
Not only does Curtis have the American Cinematheque Award in his sights, he may also be an Oscar contender.