Sun-News Reports

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LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces International Film Festival Creative Team has selected Brendan Fraser to receive its “Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment” award. The prestigious honor will be presented at a reception from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. for VIP ticket holders at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. Also attending the reception are selected independent filmmakers and sponsors of the film festival, according to a news release announcing the selection.

Fraser currently stars in the third season of Showtime’s award-winning TV show, “The Affair,” in which he plays Gunther, a menacing prison security guard.

Fraser is best-known for his role as Rick O'Connell in the Mummy franchise, an ambitious retooling of the 1932 horror classic. Fraser stars as an America serving in the French Foreign Legion who becomes involved with an English archaeological expedition and the ancient secrets they unleash. The Mummy franchise has grossed $1.415 billion worldwide to date.

Fraser has been in a string of some of the most successful independent films of the past decade including the Academy-award winning Best Picture “Crash,” “The Quiet American,” and “Gods and Monsters.”

Other credits include “George of the Jungle,” “Bedazzled,” “Encino Man,” “With Honors,” “Airheads,” “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and the Ross Marks directed film, “The Twilight of the Golds.”

More recently, Fraser was seen playing an arms dealer in the independent feature, “The Field." He was also seen in the A&E mini-series, “Texas Rising" and the feature film “Gimme Shelter."

Fraser’s diverse theater roster includes his his Broadway debut starring in the comedy “Elling,” based on the Norwegian novels by Ingvar Ambjørnsen; and his 2001 appearance in the West End production of Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Born in Indianapolis and raised in Europe and Canada, Fraser began attending theater when his family lived in London and has been dedicated to honing his craft since age 12. He attended high school at Toronto’s Upper Canada College and received a BFA in acting from the Actor’s Conservatory, Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

The festival gave it “Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment” award to Danny Trejo in 2016.

The 2017 Las Cruces International Film Festival presented by New Mexico State University will take place March 8 through 12. The festival aims to bring the best of international cinema to Las Cruces. With an eye toward connecting filmmakers with audiences, the LCIFF will feature workshops, parties and screenings. Film submittals, tickets and general information can be found at www.LCIFFEST.com.