Spanish Film Festival San Sebastian will honor Hollywood icon Johnny Depp by bestowing upon him the Donostia Award.

The award is a lifetime achievement honor that recognizes “outstanding contributions to the film world.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor, long seen as a worldwide superstar, was perceived as a toxic presence after he failed to sue British tabloid The Sun, which described him as a “wife-beater.” The judge eventually stated his belief that Depp might have actually assaulted his ex-wife actress Amber Heard.

Depp has repeatedly denied the accusations, yet this did not prevent producers from obstructing the continuation and release of his projects, such as his firing from his role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise or the burial of his passion project Minamata by MGM studios. 

Despite the controversies, this did not deter the San Sebastian International Film Festival from honoring Depp, who is set to receive the award on September 22.  Depp was deemed as “one of contemporary cinema’s most talented and versatile actors.”

Commenting on the issue, the festival’s director José Luis Rebordinos said: “The role of a film festival is not to judge the conduct of members of the film industry. The role of a film festival is to select the most relevant and interesting films of the year… The Donostia Award to Johnny Depp is our recognition of a great actor, a man of cinema with a great career.”