Ben Kingsley at The Arlington Theater at 27th SBIFF, 30th January, 2012

I spoke to Sir Ben as he walked up the red carpet into the theater...

ME: Tonight you’re going to be presenting an award to the great Scorsese.

BEN: The great Scorsese! Yes!

ME: So, how does that feel?

BEN: Well, when I think of the number of men or women that could be presenting this award, people who owe their greatest moments on screen to him, people who owe their careers to him…I’m the voice of a very extraordinary group of actors so I have to speak for all of them and hope that message gets through because we all love him.. And I don’t exaggerate… We LOVE him! And it’s a great honor!

BEN (CONT.) My relationship to Martin is growing. It’s my second film with him and I hope that, you know, we have a future together. We seem to really understand one another. The conversations we have on set are mostly stories that we tell each other. The conversations we have about the work is two or three words…Tiny adjustments, a tiny nudge here, a tiny push there because that is the way he works. That’s him. It’s the non-audition, the gentle vision. You just be in front of the camera.

**STAY TUNED!!! for Sir Ben Kingsley’s eloquent speech and tribute to Martin Scorsese that had both of them in tears as Ben presented the American Riviera Award to beloved director (and Oscar nominated for HUGO, 2012) Martin Scorsese!

-written by Vanessa McMahon 

photos by Vanessa McMahon