‘One of the Most Inspirational People in Film’: David Puttnam Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at Cork Film Festival

On opening night at Cork’s Everyman Theatre, the applause felt less like a polite festival welcome and more like a thank-you that had been building for decades.

As the Cork International Film Festival marked its 70th anniversary, Oscar-winning producer and long-time patron David Puttnam stepped on stage to receive an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award – and the room rose with him. Irish actor Gabriel Byrne did the honours, presenting the award and paying emotional tribute to the man who, in his own words, “changed my life.” 

A standing ovation – and a very personal thank-you

Byrne didn’t just read a citation; he told a story.

He spoke about the moment Puttnam cast him in a career-defining role and how that decision opened doors all the way to Hollywood. On stage in Cork, he asked aloud how many other lives – and careers – had been quietly redirected by the producer’s belief in them.

He described Puttnam as “one of the most inspirational people in film” – not just because of the Oscars, BAFTAs or the major prize he’d picked up in Rome the week before, but because of the way he has mentored, challenged and taught people over the years, particularly in Ireland.

There was also a tender nod to Puttnam’s partnership with his wife, Patsy, and to the couple’s life in West Cork, where they’ve become woven into the local cultural landscape as much as the global film world.

A career that reshaped modern cinema

For many in the room, the award felt overdue.

Over a 30-year producing career, Puttnam has been behind some of the most influential British and international films of the late 20th century, including Chariots of Fire, The Killing Fields, The Mission, Local Hero, Midnight Express and Bugsy Malone.

Collectively, his films have amassed double-digit Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes and an historic Palme d’Or, cementing his reputation as a producer who backs stories with both artistic weight and emotional reach.

In recent months, that legacy has been recognised across Europe. Just weeks before the Cork honour, Puttnam was celebrated at the Rome Film Fest with an Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, underlining how deeply his work is respected far beyond Ireland and the UK.

From London to West Cork – and into the classroom

What makes Puttnam’s Cork award feel especially fitting is that he’s not just a visiting star; he’s part of the city’s creative fabric.

Now a British-Irish citizen living in West Cork, Puttnam has spent years championing Irish talent and serving as patron of the Cork International Film Festival. He’s also built a second act as an educator and policy voice, leading initiatives in film training, digital democracy and education, and teaching everywhere from the National Film and Television School to Irish universities.

That dual role – producer and teacher – is exactly what Byrne highlighted on stage: the way Puttnam uses film not just to entertain, but to spark critical thinking and conversation, especially for younger generations coming into the industry.

In recognition of that long relationship, the festival has confirmed that this honour will live on as the David Puttnam Honorary Award, to be given in future years to other major contributors to film in Ireland.

Why David Puttnam’s Lifetime Achievement Award Matters

For many in the Irish and UK film community, this moment was more than a ceremonial honour.

Over a career spanning more than three decades, David Puttnam has produced films that shaped modern cinema – from Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields to The Mission, Local Hero and Midnight Express. Those stories have collected Oscars, BAFTAs and festival prizes, but more importantly they’ve become part of how audiences understand history, politics and human resilience.

This Lifetime Achievement Award at Cork Film Festival feels like a natural homecoming for a producer who has spent years championing Irish talent and living quietly in West Cork with his wife, Patsy.

A clear-eyed speech about a messy moment in film

When it was his turn at the microphone, Puttnam didn’t pretend everything in cinema is rosy.

He spoke frankly about the state of the industry, acknowledging that what film is going through right now is “not that pretty” – from economic pressures to technological upheaval and shifting audience habits. At the same time, he refused to sink into pessimism.

Instead, he put his faith in younger filmmakers, arguing that the future of the industry will most likely be reshaped by a generation that clearly sees where his own has gone wrong – and is ready to do better. His message, in essence, was a call to action:

• learn from past mistakes

• stay open to change

• use film to improve, not just reflect, the world

It was classic Puttnam: honest about risk, but quietly insistent that cinema is still one of the most powerful tools we have for shifting hearts, minds and policies.

He closed by thanking Cork – and the festival – for what they’ve given him and Patsy over the years, turning what could have been a formal acceptance into something that felt more like a love letter to a city and its film community.