Jessica Chastain honoured at American Cinematheque Awards

Jessica Chastain has spoken out about the importance of female voices while accepting the annual American Cinematheque Award.

In her acceptance speech, the Zero Dark Thirty star detailed the struggles of her childhood. She was the first woman in her family not to fall pregnant as a teenager, and the first to graduate high school and attend college.

Chastain studied at the Juilliard private performing arts school in New York thanks to a scholarship funded by the late Robin Williams, who received the American Cinematheque Award in 1988.

"We existed on the margins of society, but theatre became my lifeline," Chastain said. "It was a way to feel seen, to use my voice and to break free from the expectations that have bound my family for generations. I became determined to escape the cycle."

Chastain said when she entered the industry, most films centred around male-dominated perspectives and regulated female actors to reductive archetypes.

"A woman's true value isn't in her beauty or her role as someone's partner, but in her intellect, her resilience and her strength," the star of George & Tammy said. "Stories matter because they shape cultures. Stories inspire change and stories empower future generations."

The American Cinematheque Award annually honours "an extraordinary artist in the entertainment industry who is fully engaged in his or her work and is committed to making a significant contribution to the art of the motion pictures".