Little Miss Sunshine will receive the Chairman's Vanguard Award at the 18th Annual PalmSprings International Film Festival (PSIFF) awards gala on Jan 6, 2007.

Cast members will attend along with screenwriter MichaelArndt and directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris to collect the honour.

Previously announced honorees at Palm Springs this year includethe cast of Babel,Sydney Pollack, Kate Winslet, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Todd Field and AdamBeach.

'Vanguard, by definition is any creative group active in theinnovation and application of new concepts and techniques,' festivalchairman Earl Greenburg said. 'The film Little Miss Sunshine is the perfect example of thisdefinition.'

'All of usat Searchlight are so thrilled to be receiving the Vanguard award for LittleMiss Sunshine,' FoxSearchlight chief operating officer Nancy Utely said. 'It is a fittingtribute that speaks to the spirit and essence of the film.'