Germany’s Oldenburg Film Festival will honour New Zealand-born actress and stunt performer Zoë Bell with a career tribute. The recognition highlights Bell’s influence on modern action and genre cinema, as stunt work is set to receive its first competitive Academy Award category in 2027.

Bell gained prominence as Lucy Lawless’s stunt double on Xena: Warrior Princess before doubling for Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films. Tarantino later cast her in Death Proof and several further films; Bell has also worked on Iron Man 3 and Thor: Ragnarok, won four Taurus World Stunt Awards, and will present a selection of her films at Oldenburg from 16 to 20 September.