Jane Fonda

Los Angeles (IANS) – Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda accepted a prestigious award from Bafta Los Angeles while being led away in handcuffs during her arrest at a climate change protest.

The 81-year-old actor and activist was honoured with the Stanley Kubrick award for excellence in a film at the annual Bafta Britannia ceremony, reports the guardian.com.

However, she could not be at the venue in person to accept the prize and, as is customary, sent a video message instead.

Footage of Fonda being arrested in Washington, DC last week was shown to the audience on big screens. The Oscar-winning actor shouted: “Bafta, thank you” as she was led away.

“I’m very honoured,” Fonda added.

Fonda, known as much for her activism as her film career, had earlier said she was inspired to return to civil disobedience by teenage climate emergency protester Greta Thunberg.

Fonda was one of the 17 climate protesters arrested at the US capital on charges of unlawful demonstration by what she called “extremely nice and professional” police.

She said she had moved to Washington, DC so she could be more involved in the fight against climate breakdown. She added that she hoped to inspire other older activists and revealed that she planned to get herself arrested every Friday during the protests.

Previous winners of the Stanley Kubrick award for excellence in film, which is given to “legendary individuals whose work is stamped with the indelible mark of authorship and ingenuity”, include names like Cate Blanchett, George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

–IANS
dc/dpb

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.