Malcolm McDowell, Anant Singh, Q’Orianka Kilcher and the Legendary Margaret O’Brien to be honored.

The 12th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) begins this week, April 19-26, 2007, presenting eight days of more than 120 feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. In addition, The Annual PBIFF Awards Gala, a black-tie celebration which takes place at the Boca Raton Resort & Club on Saturday, April 21, will honor some of the great talents in the industry. Those who will be awarded this year for their contribution to filmmaking are the legendary Margaret O’Brien (“Meet Me In St. Louis,” “Little Women”), actor Malcolm McDowell (“Clockwork Orange,” and most recently NBC’s “Heroes”), South African producer Anant Singh (“Sarafina!,” “Cry, The Beloved Country,”) and actress Q’Orianka Kilcher (“The New World”). The Gala will be hosted by “General Hospital’s” Tristan Rogers.

The PBIFF is proud to present the Legend In Film Award to Margaret O’Brien. O’Brien made her film debut -- a one-minute shot in MGM's ‘Babes on Broadway’ -- in 1941 at the ripe old age of 4. Her big moment came the following year when she was cast in ‘Journey for Margaret,’ which made her into an instant star. Throughout the 1940’s Margaret was a major child star. Her unforgettable performance as ‘Tootie’ in Vincente Minnelli's “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944) won her an Academy Award as ‘Outstanding Child Actress’ of her day. She gave brilliant performances in such beloved films as “The Canterville Ghost,” “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes,” “The Secret Garden,” “Little Women” and “Jane Eyre.” Ms. O’Brien will appear at a specially-added screening of “Meet Me In St. Louis,” Saturday, April 21, 12:30 p.m., Sunrise Theatres, Mizner Park. Following the screening will be a Conversation with one of film’s most famous child actors, after which she will autograph photos.

Malcolm McDowell, who will be presented with the Career Achievement Award, is well known for his unforgettable role of Alex in the “Clockwork Orange” and considered by many to be an “actor’s actor” and so regarded for his unforgettable characterizations that the public sometimes has a hard time separating the actor from the character. While having a history of playing hot-tempered and ruthless characters, he does not share those traits and possesses charm and grace off the screen. In addition to a long roster of films, Malcolm McDowell has also seen success on television, including recent recurring roles in HBO’s “Entourage” and the NBC hit series “Heroes.” His latest film, “The List” with Will Patton, is making its World Premiere at the PBIFF.

Receiving the World Visionary Award, Anant Singh, has produced more than 50 films since 1983 and is highly recognized as South Africa’s pre-eminent film producer. He received South Africa’s first Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Picture in 2005 as well as receiving the Peabody Award and an Emmy Nomintion in 2006 in the “Outstanding Made For Television Movie” category. He is also the only South African member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was appointed by President Thabo Mbeki to the Creative Collective, the body responsible for the organization of South Africa’s Ten Years Of Freedom Celebrations in 2004. He is responsible for many of the greatest anti-apartheid films made in South Africa, including “Sarafina!”, “Cry, the Beloved Country” and “Red Dust.”

Q’Orianka Kilcher will presented with the Shooting Star Award. Kilcher came on the scene as Pocahontas in Terrence Malick’s 2005 film, The New World, who guides John Smith (portrayed by Colin Farrell) toward an understanding of the American wilderness and its indigenous inhabitants. Already an experienced activist and now producer at seventeen years old, Q’Orianka has used her time in the spotlight to illuminate the environmental and human rights disaster in Peru. She is currently producing and starring in various projects including “The Power of Few.” Kilcher’s humanitarian efforts are currently concentrated on an untitled documentary where she visits the people of Achuar, Quichua and Urarinas in the Corrientes river basin in the Peruvian Amazon who are being poisoned by their only water source. With a film crew in tow, Kilcher is making the documentary through her new production company, and recently presented her findings at the United Nations.