Martin McDonagh to Receive Palm Springs Directing Honor

Martin McDonagh, the writer and director of Wild Horse Nine, has been chosen to receive a directing achievement prize at the Palm Springs International Film Awards. The ceremony will take place on January 7, 2027, opening the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs through January 18.

In Wild Horse Nine, John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell portray CIA operatives traveling to Easter Island in the period before Chile’s 1973 coup. Their characters confront troubled histories, while their encounter with two students who rebel against authority, played by Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas, disrupts the trip. Steve Buscemi and Parker Posey are also in the cast.

Festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi praised McDonagh’s distinctive filmmaking and described the new movie as an example of his creative vision. The award recognizes his work directing the film.

McDonagh has directed films such as The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Seven Psychopaths. His honors include six BAFTAs and three Golden Globes; his Oscar nominations include directing The Banshees of Inisherin and screenplay nominations for several films. He joins The Invite, which will receive the festival’s Vanguard Award, among the announced honorees for the 2027 event.