The renowned actress was also honoured during the festival with the Golden Star for her remarkable career. During the tribute ceremony, the audience watched famous excerpts from her roles, which showcased the richness of her professional journey and the diversity of the characters she has portrayed. From Taxi Driver to The Silence of the Lambs, the clips highlighted her unique talent and skill, which have left an enduring impression on generations of viewers.
The two-time Oscar winner said that cinema allows moments for dreaming, promotes a sense of belonging to community, and leads viewers to an awareness of the fragility and humanity of existence.
In a video clip, American director Martin Scorsese congratulated Foster on the tribute, praising the strength of her acting performances since their first collaboration on Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), with their major reunion occurring in Taxi Driver (1976).
During her meeting with audiences on 1 December, Foster recounted with simplicity and clarity the stages of her artistic career, which began at a young age and was shaped by pivotal encounters. Before a large audience, the actress and director revisited the foundational moments that have marked more than half a century of her presence both in front of and behind the camera.
Foster focused particularly on her pivotal experience in Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, which was filmed when she was just twelve. Alongside Robert De Niro, she said she learned the art of improvisation and the methodology of character development, which profoundly influenced her acting style. She also spoke with particular admiration of David Fincher, director of Panic Room, affirming that she learned more from him than from any other director.
The actress recalled the pivotal role played by her mother, whom she described as a true “film school,” introducing her from a young age to the works of Antonioni, Visconti, and Fassbinder, as well as lesser-known films. Constant exposure to screenings and festivals nurtured her early thinking about artistic vision, the role of art, and performance techniques.
This intellectual and artistic foundation instilled in her a rigor she has never relinquished. Foster admits she was never entirely satisfied with her performance in Jonathan Kaplan’s The Accused, despite winning an Oscar. She explains that doubt is one of the forces that always draws her back to the studio. Her periods away from the screen are often accompanied by feelings of uncertainty that reignite her desire to surpass herself.
With maturity, she has sought out unexpected elements in her roles and has not hesitated to explore less familiar genres, such as comedy. Yet one constant remains in her career: exploring issues of justice and questioning structures of power. She declares her full feminist commitment and critical perspective, particularly within her own field.
Foster also expressed her preference for the sensitivity of female directors, believing they possess a unique ability to listen, engage in dialogue as equals, and delve deeply into their characters. As an actress and director, she favours independent characters who break the silence and tell their stories in their own voice.
Foster rejects the notion of choosing between mainstream and auteur cinema, emphasizing that she seeks, above all, films capable of touching diverse audiences while maintaining their artistic integrity. She advocates for an approach that offers an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual experience simultaneously.
Her career— which her mother once expected to end at eighteen so she could pursue her studies—has instead become an exceptional artistic journey that transcends generations and cultures. Outside Hollywood, she has performed in Italian and German and recently appeared in Rebecca Zlotowski’s film A Private Life. She concludes by expressing her desire to one day experience a cinematic moment with her friends, gathered around a Moroccan table.
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