Awards season rolls on coast to coast, and SFFILM now joins the mix with the Bay Area film nonprofit’s upcoming gala.
Thursday, SFFILM announced that “The Substance” Best Actress contender Demi Moore, “Dune: Part Two” director Denis Villeneuve, “The Piano Lesson” first-time feature director Malcolm Washington, and “Saturday Night” filmmaker Jason Reitman will all receive honors at a starry fundraising event on Monday, December 9 in San Francisco.
Per SFFILM brass, the event “honors exemplary achievement in film craft and is a fundraiser with proceeds from the event supporting the organization’s mission to discover, nurture, and showcase the next generation of film artists.” SFFILM’s flagship operation is its annual San Francisco Film Festival, taking place next April. SFFILM Awards Night will take place at San Francisco’s Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture.
Villeneuve will receive the Irving M. Levin Award for Film Direction, which has previously gone to the likes of Greta Gerwig, Ryan Coogler, Jane Campion, and Chloé Zhao, among many others including current awards season contenders like Marielle Heller, Steve McQueen, Walter Salles, and Mike Leigh.
Demi Moore is set for the Maria Manetti Shrem Award for Acting, whose past honorees have included Nicolas Cage, Margot Robbie, Oscar Isaac, Glenn Close, and Adam Driver.
Malcolm Washington will receive the George Gund III for Virtuosity prize, which recently went to Stephanie Hsu for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and Cord Jefferson for “American Fiction.” The award is inspired by Agnes Gund’s work as a philanthropist, arts advocate, and activist.
Jason Reitman will be honored with the Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman Award for Storytelling, which has previously gone to Roger Ross Williams, Sarah Polley, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Sorkin, Lulu Wang, Boots Riley, and more.
SFFILM Awards Night is co-chaired by Alexandra Wells and Leslie Olrich, with a host committee including Jennifer Hymes Battat, Courtney Benoist & Jason Fish, Heidi W. Castelein, Lisa Kleiner Chanoff & Matt
Chanoff, Dale Djerassi, Lee Flynn, Agnes Gund, Katie Hall & Tom Knutsen, Fred M. Levin, Merriman & Eric Mathewson, Leslie & Scott Olrich, Robina Riccitiello & Jim Sottile, Sarah Schoellkopf & William Neil,
Jan Shrem & Maria Manetti Shrem, Charles & Kristy Thornton, Laney & Pasha Thornton, Katie & Todd
Traina, Alexandra & Spencer Wells, Charlie & Barbara Winton, and Penelope Wong & Tim Kochis.
