The 22nd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present Natalie Portman and Colin Firth with Desert Palm Achievement Awards for acting.

The pair will join previously announced honorees Javier Bardem, Jennifer Lawrence and Carey Mulligan at the event on January 8, 2011.

Portman stars as a damaged ballerina rehearsing for the role of a lifetime in Fox Searchlight’s Black Swan, while Firth portrays George VI battling a debilitating stammer in The Weinstein Company’s crowd-pleaser The King’s Speech.

“We are honouring two of the finest actors to grace the screen, both of whom deliver Oscar-quality performances in their most recent films,” PSIFF chairman Harold Matzner said. “Colin Firth brings a regal versatility to each of his roles, but his portrayal of King George VI in his latest film, The King’s Speech, is extraordinary.

“Natalie Portman, who started dancing at age four and acting at age 11, tests the full range of her significant talent with a powerhouse performance as the obsessed ballerina in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.”

The festival is scheduled to run from January 6-17.