Palm Springs Film Festival honors Richard Gere Richard Gere will receive the Chairman's Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times December 17, 2012, 9:10 a.m. Richard Gere, who earned a Golden Globe nomination last week for "Arbitrage," will receive the Chairman's Award at the 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 5. "Throughout his career Richard Gere has established himself as an accomplished actor and producer and yet still finds time to support crucial cultural and humanitarian causes," said festival chairman Harold Matzner in a statement Monday morning. Past receipients of the award include Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman. Besides honoring Gere, the gala will also present awards to the previously announced Bradley Cooper, Sally Field, the cast of "Argo," Helen Hunt, Helen Mirren, Naomi Watts and Robert Zemeckis. The festival runs Jan. 3 to 14. Richard Gere honors could just be a warmup act Golden Globes nominations 2013: 'Lincoln,' 'Argo,' 'Zero Dark Thirty' top nominations