News Briefs

• Penelope Cruz -- who's appearing in two current films, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Elegy" -- will be honored as the outstanding performer of the year at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, which runs Jan. 22-Feb.1. Cruz will be presented with the award at the Arlington Theatre on Jan. 31. (HR)

• Dakota Fanning will collect the Rising Star Award at the 20th Annual Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival. (Variety)

• Kristin Scott Thomas will receive Hollywood actress of the year honors from the Hollywood Film Festival. (Variety)

• New York Women in Film and Television will honor Laura Linney, Kyra Sedgwick, Nickelodeon prexy Cyma Zarghami and ad exec Linda Kaplan Thaler at its 28th annual Muse awards in NY on Dec 9. (Variety)
  

• Walden Media has purchased ``Tough Cookies,'' a script centered on life in the Girl Scouts by sisters Carley and Chelsea Steiner about a judge ordering a deadbeat dad and his rebellious daughter's friends to form a scout troop. They then use their unconventional ways to compete against snobbish rivals to win a national scout competition. (HR)
  

• Actress Charlotte Rampling will receive the lifetime achievement award for her "impressive portrayals of some of the most memorable female characters in modern cinema," at the Stockholm International Film Festival. (Macleans)