PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARDS TO HONOR
ROSE BYRNE WITH BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE AWARD FOR HER PERFORMANCE IN
IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU
ROSE BYRNE WITH BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE AWARD FOR HER PERFORMANCE IN
IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU
Palm Springs, CA (December 10, 2025) – The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Rose Byrne is the recipient of the Breakthrough Performance Award for her critically praised performance in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. The Film Awards will take place on January 3, 2026, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-12, 2026. The event will be presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“Rose Byrne delivers a fearless and electrifying performance in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Her portrayal of Linda—a mother unraveling under pressure—grounds this bold, unsettling film with raw emotion which lingers long after the credits. We are honored to present her with the Breakthrough Performance Award, recognizing a performance of remarkable depth and distinction.”
With her life crashing down around her, Linda (Rose Byrne) attempts to navigate her child's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. The cast includes Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Lark White, Ivy Wolk, Daniel Zolghadri, Delaney Quinn, with Christian Slater and A$AP Rocky. The A24 film is directed and written by Mary Bronstein. Byrne won the Silver Bear for Best Lead Performance at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. She’s also received Best Actress from the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, Best Lead Performance from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and nominations from the Critics’ Choice Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards, Golden Globes, and Gotham Awards.
Rose Byrne is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress from Sydney, Australia. Byrne can currently be seen starring in Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You for which she garnered the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. Upcoming, Byrne is set to star in Stephanie Laing’s TOW. Previously on television, Byrne starred in Damages opposite Glenn Close for which she garnered two Golden Globe nominations and one Emmy nomination for her portrayal. Her additional television credits include Physical, Platonic and Mrs. America. It was recently announced that Byrne is set to star in Peacock series The Good Daughter. Previous film credits include: Juliet, Naked; Peter Rabbit; Instant Family; Spy; The Place Beyond the Pines; Bridesmaids; Insidious; Get Him to the Greek; 28 Weeks Later; Bridesmaids; Marie Antionette; Troy; The Goddess of 1967 for which she garnered the Volpi Cup at the 2000 Venice Film Festival and Two Hands.
Byrne joins this year’s previously announced honorees Michael B. Jordan (Icon Award), Leonardo DiCaprio (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Ethan Hawke (Career Achievement Award), Kate Hudson (Icon Award), Adam Sandler (Chairman’s Award), Amanda Seyfried (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress), Frankenstein director Guillermo del Toro and actors Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth (Visionary Award), Hamnet director Chloé Zhao as well as actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal (Vanguard Award) and Sentimental Value cast members Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning (International Star Award).
Past actress winners of the Breakthrough Performance Award include last year’s recipient Mikey Madison (Anora), along with Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Mary J. Blige (Mudbound), Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), Andra Day (The United States v Billie Holiday), Cynthia Erivo (Harriet), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Brie Larson (Room), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl). In the years they were honored, Cotillard, Hudson, Larson, Madison, Nyong'o and Randolph went on to win Academy Awards, while Day, Blige, Erivo, Huffman and Pike received nominations.
About the Palm Springs International Film Society
The Palm Springs International Film Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness. The Film Society produces the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) and Film Awards every January and Palm Springs ShortFest in June. In addition to curating the best in international cinema, PSIFF’s Film Awards has come to be known as the first stop on the campaign trail for the Academy Awards®, and our Oscar®-qualifying ShortFest is the largest short film festival and market in North America. Our festivals, year-round member screenings and educational programs manifest our organization’s mission by nurturing and encouraging new filmmaking talent, honoring the great masters of world cinema, and expanding audience horizons. The City of Palm Springs is the title sponsor of both festivals. The Film Awards are presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
About Kering
Kering is a global, family-led luxury group, home to people whose passion and expertise nurture creative Houses across couture and ready-to-wear, leather goods, jewelry, eyewear and beauty: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, Dodo, Qeelin, Ginori 1735, as well as Kering Eyewear and Kering Beauté. Inspired by their creative heritage, Kering Houses design and craft exceptional products and experiences that reflect the Group’s commitment to excellence, sustainability and culture. This vision is expressed in our signature: Creativity is our Legacy.
Kering's commitment to women is at the heart of the Group's priorities and, through Women In Motion, extends to the arts and culture, where gender inequalities persist, even though creation is one of the most powerful vectors for change. A pioneering program, Women In Motion highlights the talent and diversity of the voices shaping the artistic world, providing a space for dialogue and action, in order to continue promoting the recognition and influence of women in creation.
Press Contacts:
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