Ruth Negga was honoured at the film festival’s award gala for her portrayal of Mildred Loving in film ‘Loving’, which follows the trust story of a couple in Virginia who effectively changed the laws against interracial marriage with a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1967. Her performance has already bagged the ‘Limerick’ actress a Golden Globe nomination and it’s expected that she will be considered in the Oscar nominations when they are announced at the end of the month. “Ruth Negga’s performance as Mildred Loving is one of the year’s most luminous and striking portrayals,” said festival chairman Harold Matzner. “This timeless love story about an interracial couple reminds us of the unstoppable power of love in the face of hate and prejudice – a story that could not be more resonant and powerful today. This will certainly be just one of many breathtaking performances in a long career.” Past recipients of the Rising Star Award include Alicia Vikander, Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Kendrick, Dakota Fanning, and Terrence Howard. It was revealed in November that Ruth was chosen for the Rising Star award at the 28th Palm Springs International Film Festival. Dressed in a Valentino gown, she was accompanied by her ‘Loving’ co-star Joel Edgerton. Other attendees at the ceremony included Ben Kingsley, Tom Hanks, Kirsten Dunst, Nicole Kidman, Casey Affleck, Natalie Portman, Amy Adams and Ryan Gosling.