Rome Film Festival Honors British Producer David Puttnam With Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award

David Puttnam, the legendary British film producer renowned for classics like "Chariots of Fire," "The Killing Fields," and "The Mission," will be honored with the Rome Film Festival's inaugural Industry Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival's 20th edition in October 2025. His films have collectively won 10 Academy Awards, 10 Golden Globes, 25 BAFTAs, and 9 Emmys, including a Palme d’Or for "The Mission." Puttnam briefly served as CEO of Columbia Pictures in the mid-1980s, where he prioritized auteur-driven low-budget films over blockbusters before returning to independent film production in the UK. After retiring from filmmaking in 1997, he transitioned to politics, serving in the UK House of Lords until 2021, and remains active in education through Atticus Education and as a UNICEF UK ambassador. The award will be presented by Italian director Uberto Pasolini, who began his career working with Puttnam. Throughout his career, Puttnam has been known for supporting socially conscious films and collaborating with influential directors such as Alan Parker, Ridley Scott, and Roland Joffé.