Michelle Rodriguez attended the 43rd Deauville American Film Festival in France on Thursday night, where she premiered her new film The Zookeeper’s Wife, as well as took home an award.

MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ AT DEAUVILLE AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL

The actress, 39, wore a stunningly simple black and white dress, with roses embroidered on the halter top neckline. The gown was form-fitting but splayed out nicely in the skirt. She wore her hair down and kept her makeup understated for a natural beauty look.

Deauville paid tribute to Rodriguez and her 16-year career, having won the Grand Prix prize at that very festival for her work in Girlfight in 2000. “Ya know, it’s an honor, I’m used to being in the background or being part of a big group, and I thank you Deauville for seeing me,” she said awkwardly at the podium. “It’s special, thank you.”

It was an Honor to come to Deauville film festival & have my 16 yrs of film laid out like a high school year book, to have talented French actor & film lover Vincent Lindon show me love on stage & give me this award I felt so strange up there. I felt recognized as an individual for the 1st time since my day view with Girlfight here almost 17 yrs ago. I’ve been coming to France for over 15 years and the culture here I feel truly sees me beyond the masks I wear. I’m grateful to the French culture the French film industry & the love for art here the appreciation the people here have overall for collective self discovery in whatever strange or obscure form it may take.???????? – Philippe Augier, mayor of deauville – Bruno Barde, festival director – Lionel Chouchan, co-founder & chairman of the festival

A post shared by Michelle Rodriguez (@mrodofficial) on

“It was an Honor to come to Deauville film festival & have my 16 yrs of film laid out like a high school year book, to have talented French actor & film lover Vincent Lindon show me love on stage & give me this award I felt so strange up there,” she wrote on Instagram. “I felt recognized as an individual for the 1st time since my day view with Girlfight here almost 17 yrs ago. I’ve been coming to France for over 15 years and the culture here I feel truly sees me beyond the masks I wear. I’m grateful to the French culture the French film industry & the love for art here the appreciation the people here have overall for collective self discovery in whatever strange or obscure form it may take.????????.”

The Zookeeper’s Wife tells the story of the Warsaw Zoo in Poland, and the Zabinksi family who helped saved hundreds of people and animals during WWII.

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