by Tim Gordon
TIFF is rolling out the red carpet for some of the most visionary artists shaping cinema today. The seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards, the Festival’s signature fundraising gala and the official kick-off to awards season, will return on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, celebrating the trailblazers, legends, and rising talents whose work continues to inspire audiences around the globe.
This year’s honourees reflect the international impact and creative excellence TIFF has championed for 50 years.
2025 TIFF Tribute Award Honourees
Guillermo del Toro – TIFF Ebert Director Award
Presented by The Tory Family
The Academy Award–winning filmmaker behind Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, and the upcoming TIFF Gala Frankenstein is recognized for his fearless, genre-defining artistry and his enduring relationship with the Festival that began with Cronos (TIFF ’93).
Jodie Foster – TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award
Presented by Joanna Griffiths and the Women of Knix
With a five-decade career that’s redefined what women can do on screen and behind the camera, the two-time Oscar winner (The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs) is celebrated for her performances, advocacy, and her return to TIFF with Rebecca Zlotowski’s A Private Life.
HIKARI – TIFF Emerging Talent Award
Presented by Amazon MGM Studios
The acclaimed Japanese writer-director of 37 Seconds and TIFF 2025 Special Presentation Rental Family is honoured for her breakthrough vision, representing the next generation of global filmmaking voices.
Lee Byung Hun – TIFF Special Tribute Award
The legendary South Korean actor (Squid Game, Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life) is recognized for his extraordinary contributions to world cinema. He attends TIFF with the North American Premiere of Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, continuing his international legacy.
Brendan Fraser – TIFF Honorary Chair
The Academy Award–winning star of The Whale and TIFF favorite returns to chair the Tribute Awards, fresh off his collaboration with HIKARI in Rental Family.
A Night of Celebration – and Purpose
The TIFF Tribute Awards isn’t just an evening of glamour — it’s the Festival’s largest annual fundraiser. Proceeds support TIFF’s 50th anniversary campaign, Transform Together, which advances talent development, celebrates visionary artists, and strengthens TIFF’s year-round community programs.
Presented in partnership with Rolex, with support from RBC, Don Julio, and Fairmont Royal York, the Tribute Awards have become one of TIFF’s most important traditions, honoring past recipients like Spike Lee, Michelle Yeoh, Andy Lau, Cate Blanchett, Denis Villeneuve, and Patricia Arquette.
TIFF 2025 runs September 4–14, 2025. The Tribute Awards mark the start of what promises to be an unforgettable 50th anniversary edition, where the past, present, and future of cinema come together on one stage.
