Honored guests

Paul Bettany

Virtuoso Award
Monday, Oct. 26

This award will be presented as part of the TV Sidebar screening VisionQuest.

Paul Bettany was most recently seen in the limited series Amadeus, where he portrayed Antonio Salieri opposite Will Sharpe's Mozart. Bettany's TV credits include a Primetime Emmy Award-nominated role reprising his Marvel Cinematic Universe character Vision in WandaVision as well as A Very British Scandal, Manhunt: Unabomber, and the upcoming VisionQuest. On the big screen, Bettany is best known for starring as Vision in the Marvel films Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Avengers: Infinity War. After his award-nominated breakthrough role in Paul McGuigan's 2000 film Gangster No. 1, Bettany starred in A Knight's Tale opposite Heath Ledger, Ron Howard's Academy Award-winning A Beautiful Mind, and Peter Weir's critically acclaimed Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which earned him a BAFTA and Critics' Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His other film credits include Wimbledon, Margin Call, Journey's End, Blood, The Da Vinci Code, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Legion, Priest, Dogville, and Here. Bettany will next star in Harvest Moon, from a script he co-wrote with Dana Brown, and Tom Ford's Cry to Heaven.

In 2014, Bettany made his screenwriting and directorial debut with Shelter, starring Jennifer Connelly. On stage, Bettany most recently starred in the Broadway production of Anthony McCarten's drama The Collaboration, portraying the iconic Andy Warhol opposite Jeremy Pope as Jean-Michel Basquiat. Bettany will reprise his role in the upcoming film adaptation, which will be written for the screen by McCarten. Bettany was classically trained at the Drama Centre in London, making his stage debut in a West End production of An Inspector Calls under the direction of Stephen Daldry.

Danny Boyle

Maverick Director Award
Sunday, Oct. 25

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Ink.

Danny Boyle is a British film director and producer. He most recently directed Ink and 28 Years Later, reprising his role as director as he did on the original film, 2002's 28 Days Later. Boyle again returned to the franchise in 2026, serving as a producer on 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In addition to Ink and 28 Years Later, he is known for directing the films Yesterday, Steve Jobs, 127 Hours, Trainspotting, and its sequel T2 Trainspotting. Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire became one of the few films in motion picture history that swept the Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globe Awards, PGA, and DGA for Best Picture and Best Director, winning more than 100 awards in total after its release in 2008.

Gemma Chan

Lumiere Award
Tuesday, Oct. 27

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Josephine.

Actress and producer Gemma Chan is well-known for her roles in the BAFTA-nominated drama Humans; Warner Bros.' award-winning adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians; and the films Mary Queen of Scots, Captain Marvel, and Eternals. Chan's other film and TV roles include I Am Hannah, Let Them All Talk, Don't Worry Darling, Extrapolations, The Creator, and The Actor. She has also voiced characters in two Academy Award for Best Animated Feature winners, Raya and the Last Dragon and The Boy and the Heron. Chan most recently starred in the Peacock series The Five-Star Weekend, which became the platform's most-watched scripted series.

Chan will next star opposite Channing Tatum in Josephine, which dominated the 2026 Sundance Film Festival's closing ceremony, winning the U.S. Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award: Dramatic. She also served as producer on the film, a project she has championed since 2019. Chan recently completed filming on another upcoming feature, the comedy Hello & Paris with Javier Bardem and Kate Hudson. She has multiple more projects in development, including adaptations of Rise of the Empress and The Moon Represents My Heart, as well as a biopic about Chinese American Golden Age actress Anna May Wong. An accomplished theater performer, Chan starred in the British premiere of the critically acclaimed Yellow Face and its 2014 revival as well as The Homecoming at Trafalgar Studios. Outside of acting, Chan is a UNICEF UK ambassador and helped to launch a GoFundMe initiative which provides grants to grassroots organizations supporting East and South East Asian (ESEA) and broader communities in the UK.

John Cho

Luminary Award
Wednesday, Oct. 28

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.

John Cho is an Independent Spirit Award-nominated actor, producer, and New York Times bestselling author who continues to deliver compelling performances in both film and television as one of our most dynamic actors. Cho most recently starred in Bassam Tariq's Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother opposite Mahershala Ali and Giancarlo Esposito, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before its theatrical release in September. Born in Seoul and raised in Los Angeles, Cho began acting while studying English literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He first came into the spotlight with the hit comedy American Pie and later returned to the franchise in American Reunion. Cho went on to star opposite Kal Penn in the cult-favorite comedies Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. His other film credits include the rebooted Star Trek film trilogy, Afraid, Don't Make Me Go, Over the Moon, Searching, and Columbus.

On TV, Cho recently starred in Murderbot and Tempest, his first Korean original. His other TV credits include Poker Face, The Sympathizer, The Afterparty, and Cowboy Bebop. He will next star in the Apple TV+ limited series The Off Weeks, joining Ben Stiller, Jessica Chastain, and Richard Gere. In 2022, Cho made his literary debut with the novel Troublemaker, which debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times Middle Grade bestseller list. The galvanizing offering follows the 1992 Los Angeles riots through the eyes of a 12-year-old Korean American whose parents own a liquor store, where he comes face-to-face with the racism plaguing his own community.

Carrie Coon

Luminary Award
Wednesday, Oct. 28

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening The Liberation.

Carrie Coon is one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents, with a wide variety of roles across film, television, and theater. She will next be seen leading Guy Nattiv's thriller The Liberation, which premiered to rave reviews at the 2026 Telluride Film Festival. Her upcoming roles include the romantic comedy Honeymoon/Funeral, starring opposite Greta Lee and Rebecca Ferguson, and the comedy thriller I Am Not Your Mother, alongside Lukas Gage and Ben Platt. Coon's breakout film role came in the highly acclaimed film Gone Girl. Her other film credits include His Three Daughters, The Nest, Boston Strangler, Lake George, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Lake George, Another Happy Day, The Nest, Widows, Kin, Avengers: Infinity War, The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter, The Post, The Keeping Hours, and Strange Weather.

On TV, Coon won the first-ever double TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama for her acclaimed performances in FX's Fargo and HBO's The Leftovers, also winning a Critics' Choice Television Award for the latter. She has also received multiple award nominations for her roles in The White Lotus, The Sinner, and The Gilded Age, which returns for its fourth season Sunday, Nov. 1. Her other TV credits include Intelligence, Ironside, Law & Order: SVU, and The Playboy Club. An accomplished stage performer, Coon most recently starred in the Broadway production of Tracy Letts' Bug, receiving her second Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Her theater career began with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where she starred in productions of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? — later earning a Tony Award nomination in its transfer to Broadway — The March, Three Sisters, and Mary Page Marlowe.

Rosalind Eleazar

Breakthrough Award
Monday, Oct. 26

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Misty Green.

Rosalind Eleazar trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before appearing in films and TV shows like the BAFTA-winning National Treasure, Rellik, Harlots, Deep Water, The Personal History of David Copperfield, and Class of '09. Eleazar can currently be seen in the Emmy Award-winning Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, starring opposite Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Jack Lowden. Previously, she starred in the lead role in Netflix's adaptation of Harlan Coben's Missing You, earning the Royal Television Society Award for Best Actress. She recently starred in the critically acclaimed feature Rose of Nevada opposite Callum Turner and George MacKay and will next star in the titular role of A24's highly anticipated Misty Green opposite Daniel Kaluuya, Adam Driver, Anna Kendrick, and Chris Rock, who also wrote and directed the film. On stage, Eleazar most recently appeared opposite Ralph Fiennes in Small Hotel as part of the Theatre Royal Bath Season. Her theatre credits also include Uncle Vanya, The Starry Messenger, Plaques and Tangles, and The House of Bernarda Alba.

Meghann Fahy

Spotlight in Television Award
Saturday, Oct. 24

This award will be presented as part of the TV Sidebar screening The Good Daughter.

Meghann Fahy is a two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor whose work spans television, film, and theater. Fahy received widespread acclaim for her performance the second season of HBO's The White Lotus, earning her first Emmy nomination and praise from The Hollywood Reporter and TVLine, among others. She and her co-stars also received the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble. In 2025, Fahy received her second Emmy nomination and a Critics' Choice Award nomination for her role in the Netflix limited series Sirens opposite Julianne Moore and Milly Alcock. Her other film and TV credits include The Perfect Couple, The Bold Type, Rebuilding, Drop, and Miss Sloane.

Fahy will next star opposite Rose Byrne in the Peacock limited series The Good Daughter, adapted from Karin Slaughter's bestselling novel of the same name. Written and executive produced by Slaughter and directed by Steph Green, the series premieres Thursday, Nov. 12. On film, she will star opposite Penn Badgley in the romantic comedy You Deserve Each Other, adapted from Sarah Hogle's novel of the same name and scheduled for a January 2027 release. Fahy is currently in production on the HBO limited series The Trial of Louise Woodward, which will premiere in spring 2027. Fahy made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal. Her theater work also includes Lost Girls, The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, and Linda.

Jordan Firstman

Rising Star Director Award
Sunday, Oct. 25

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Club Kid.

Jordan Firstman is one of the most sought after multihyphenates working today. Most recently, Firstman wrote, directed, starred in, and produced Club Kid, which premiered to critical acclaim at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. This past winter, he starred in HBO's hit comedy series I Love LA opposite Rachel Sennott, Josh Hutcherson, and Odessa A'zion. In 2025, Firstman returned for the second season of FX's English Teacher and released his debut comedy concept album, Secrets, inspired by his popular Instagram bit in which strangers submitted their deepest, darkest secrets for him to turn into songs. Firstman previously received rave reviews for his star turn in Sebastián Silva's Rotting in the Sun, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. His other acting credits include You People, Dave, and Ms. Marvel. As a writer, Firstman has contributed to Search Party, The Other Two, and Big Mouth, where he also served as both a voice actor and consulting producer. He also directed multiple episodes of the Peabody Award-nominated series This Close as well as the short films Call Your Father and Men Don't Whisper.

James Gray

Auteur Award
Monday, Oct. 26

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Paper Tiger.

James Gray made his directorial debut in 1994 with the widely acclaimed Little Odessa, which received the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival. In 2000, Gray wrote and directed his second feature film, The Yards, the start of a collaboration with actor Joaquin Phoenix, who would star in his next three films: We Own the Night, Two Lovers, and The Immigrant. All three screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Gray's The Lost City of Z, based on David Grann's bestseller of the same name, premiered as the closing night selection of the 2016 New York Film Festival. He followed with 2019's Ad Astra, which premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Gray next directed, wrote, and produced Armageddon Time in 2022, inspired directly by his own childhood in 1980s Queens; a New York City native, he grew up in Queens before leaving to attend film school at the University of Southern California. Gray's latest film, the 1980s New York-set Paper Tiger, premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and opened the New York Film Festival in September.

Guitarricadelafuente

Discovery Award
Saturday, Oct. 24

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening La Bola Negra.

Guitarricadelafuente is an actor and musician suspended between worlds. Raised in the early 2000s between the coastal Spanish town of Benicàssim and his grandmother's village of Las Cuevas de Cañart, he grew up surrounded by rural folk and flamenco traditions. His stage name fuses his surname, Lafuente, with the Aragonese diminutive for guitar, guitarrica. He first gained attention with "El Conticinio," recorded on a PlayStation microphone; that same recording was later chosen for a 2025 Apple commercial starring Pedro Pascal and directed by Spike Jonze. His early hits "Guantanamera" and "Nana Triste," the latter recorded with Natalia Lacunza, drew 59 million and 70 million streams, respectively, laying the foundation for his acclaimed 2022 debut album, La Cantera. His second album, 2025's Spanish Leather — featuring a cover shot by Wolfgang Tillmans — marks a bold evolution in sound and visual language. Guitarricadelafuente made his acting debut in 2026's La Bola Negra, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Sterlin Harjo

Outstanding Collaboration in Television Award
Friday, Oct. 30

This award will be presented as part of the TV Sidebar screening The Lowdown.

Sterlin Harjo is a MacArthur Genius award winner, writer, director, and showrunner from Holdenville, Okla. Harjo is a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and is of Mvskoke descent. Most recently, he created, wrote, directed, and executive produced The Lowdown, which stars Ethan Hawke and currently airs on FX and Hulu. Previously, he was the showrunner, co-creator with Taika Waititi, and director of the Emmy Award-nominated Reservation Dogs for FX. The series ran for three seasons and received numerous awards, including a Gotham Award, a Peabody Award, two Independent Spirit Awards, and honors from the Television Academy.

Ethan Hawke

Outstanding Collaboration in Television Award
Friday, Oct. 30

This award will be presented as part of the TV Sidebar screening The Lowdown.

Over the past 40 years, Ethan Hawke has become a multifaceted, critically acclaimed artist — an actor, writer, director, producer, and bestselling novelist — earning five Academy Award nominations as an actor and writer. His most recent nomination, his first for Best Actor, came on behalf of his ninth collaboration with filmmaker Richard Linklater, for Blue Moon. Hawke currently stars in and executive produces the FX and Hulu series The Lowdown from creator Sterlin Harjo, who he previously collaborated with on the penultimate episode of Harjo's groundbreaking series Reservation Dogs. Hawke's expansive onscreen filmography includes his Oscar-nominated performances in Training Day and Boyhood, his Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award-winning performance in First Reformed, and his award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning work in the limited series The Good Lord Bird. His other credits include The Weight, Dead Poets Society, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Gattaca, Reality Bites, Maudie, The Northman, Sinister, The Purge, The Black Phone, Leave the World Behind, Great Expectations, White Fang, Moon Knight, and the celebrated Before trilogy.

As a filmmaker, Hawke's directing credits include the narrative features Chelsea Walls, The Hottest State, Blaze, and the Flannery O'Connor biopic Wildcat. His nonfiction directorial work includes Seymour: An Introduction, the Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman docuseries The Last Movie Stars, and the Merle Haggard documentary Highway 99: A Double Album. On stage, he received a Tony Award nomination for The Coast of Utopia and has also starred on Broadway in Henry IV, Macbeth, and Sam Shepard's True West, in addition to countless off-Broadway acting and directing credits. A bestselling author, Hawke has written the novels The Hottest State, Ash Wednesday, and A Bright Ray of Darkness, the graphic novels Meadowlark and Indeh, and the children's book Rules for a Knight.

Anthony Ippolito

Breakthrough Award
Thursday, Oct. 29

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening I Play Rocky.

Anthony Ippolito recently wrapped filming on the title role of Sylvester Stallone in the upcoming biopic I Play Rocky. Directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly for Amazon MGM, the film — which details the development of Best Picture Oscar winner Rocky — is slated for theatrical release Friday, Nov. 20, marking the 50th anniversary of the original film. Ippolito previously delivered a standout turn portraying another iconic actor, starring as Al Pacino in Paramount+'s acclaimed limited series The Offer opposite Miles Teller. He first emerged with a breakout performance in Netflix's Grand Army alongside Odessa A'zion. Previously, he had appeared in Columbia Pictures' Pixels, directed by Christopher Columbus, where he portrayed a young version of Adam Sandler's lead character.

Jessica Lange

Lifetime Achievement Award
Sunday, Oct. 25

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Long Day's Journey into Night.

Acclaimed as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, Jessica Lange has won a Tony Award, two Academy Awards, three Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and an Actor Award during her storied career across stage and screen. From her rise to fame in Dino De Laurentiis's remake of King Kong and her Oscar-winning performances in Tootsie and Blue Sky to her Emmy-winning work in Grey Gardens and multiple installments of the American Horror Story series, Lange has had a long and illustrious career in film and TV. Her other credits include Frances, Country, Sweet Dreams, All That Jazz, Cape Fear, Big Fish, Feud, Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, and The Great Lillian Hall.

Lange will next star in the film adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day's Journey into Night, reprising a prolific role she originally performed on Broadway, earning a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Lange made her Broadway debut in A Streetcar Named Desire and has also starred in The Glass Menagerie. In 2024, Lange returned to stage in Mother Play, earning a Tony Award nomination for her performance. Lange is also a noted photographer, showing her prints in exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, and Barcelona. She published her work in the books 50 Photographs, In Mexico, and Highway 61. Production of a documentary about her photography journey, Jessica Lange: Something About the Light, began this summer.

John Leguizamo

Distinguished Performance Award
Thursday, Oct. 29

This event will be presented as part of the Signature Screening The Odyssey.

John Leguizamo is an award-winning Colombian American actor, comedian, playwright, and author celebrated for his dynamic range across film, television, and stage. Leguizamo rose to prominence in the 1990s with standout performances in films like Carlito's Way and Casualties of War, later starring in Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, Night Falls on Manhattan, Summer of Sam, John Wick, and the award-winning Ice Age animated franchise. He has appeared in more than 100 films and TV shows that showcase his boundless creativity, including Dear Killer Nannies, Encanto, Smoke, and The Mandalorian. He most recently appeared in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, where he portrays Odysseus' loyal friend Eumaeus.

Leguizamo's upcoming projects include the films Ice Age: Boiling Point, The Exorcist: Martyrs, Bullet Catch, and an untitled project with the directing team Daniels. He will also lend his voice to the Audible Original sci-fi thriller Exoplanet, releasing in November. Leguizamo recently released his own children's book with Scholastic, Kiki and the Can, featuring special artwork by Latino graffiti artist John "Crash" Matos. Leguizamo has also earned major acclaim on stage as well, in a recent production of The Other Americans at the Public Theatre and in his celebrated one-man Broadway shows, including Freak, Sexaholix…A Love Story, and Latin History for Morons. For his theater work, he has been awarded a Special Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and multiple Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards. He has also received nominations from the Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, cementing his status as one of the most versatile and influential performers of his generation.

Helen Mirren

Legend of Entertainment Award
Saturday, Oct. 24

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening A Talent for Murder.

Helen Mirren has received international recognition for her work on stage, screen, and television, winning an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and multiple Emmy Awards, Actor Awards, BAFTAs, and Golden Globe Awards. Best known for her award-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in 2006's The Queen, Mirren's film career began with 1969's The Age of Consent before her breakthrough film role in 1980's The Long Good Friday. In addition to her win for The Queen, Mirren also earned Oscar nominations for The Madness of King George, Gosford Park, and The Last Station. Her extensive film credits include The Thursday Murder Club, Goodbye June, White Bird, Golda, Barbie, Fast X, The Duke, The Good Liar, Anna, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Trumbo, Monsters University, The Hundred-Foot Journey, Hitchcock, RED, The Debt, Cal, and The Mosquito Coast.

On TV, Mirren won Emmy Awards for her roles in Prime Suspect and Elizabeth I. She has also starred in Losing Chase, The Passion of Ayn Rand, Door to Door, Phil Spector, 1923, Solos, Catherine the Great, and MobLand, which recently returned for its second season. She has received multiple lifetime achievement awards for her contributions to film and TV: the BAFTA Fellowship in 2014, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2022, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award from the Golden Globes in 2026. Mirren began her acting career on stage at the National Youth Theatre and has worked extensively in theater since then. In 2015, she starred on Broadway in The Audience, winning a Tony Award after reprising her role as Queen Elizabeth II. Mirren was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2003.

Julianne Moore

Icon Award
Tuesday, Oct. 27

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening The Debut.

Julianne Moore is an Academy Award, Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA-winning actor celebrated for her wide-ranging performances across film and television. Known for her acclaimed roles in Still Alice, Far From Heaven, The Hours, The Kids Are All Right, and Boogie Nights, Moore has built a career defined by versatility and depth. She is the first American woman to receive top acting honors at the Berlin, Venice, and Cannes Film Festivals, cementing her status as one of the most respected performers of her generation. Moore's recent credits include Todd Haynes' Savannah-shot May December — which earned her a Golden Globe nomination — Apple TV+'s Echo Valley, Pedro Almodovar's The Room Next Door, Netflix's limited series Sirens, and the historical miniseries Mary & George. Moore will next star in Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut and return to the stage to star in the title role of the off-Broadway play Faydra. Beyond her acting, Moore is a New York Times bestselling children's author of the Freckleface Strawberry series and the founding chair of Everytown for Gun Safety's Creative Council, where she advocates for ending gun violence in America. With over 70 films to her name, Moore continues to deliver work that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Kane Parsons

NextGen Director Award
Monday, Oct. 26

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Backrooms.

At just 21 years old, Kane Parsons is redefining the future of horror. A self-taught filmmaker and visual effects artist, Parsons first captivated audiences with The Backrooms (Found Footage), a viral YouTube short that has amassed over 90 million views and cemented him as a visionary new voice in genre storytelling.

Now, with his feature directorial debut Backrooms for A24, Parsons has made history. The film has grossed over $400 million worldwide, making it A24's highest-grossing film of all time, with a domestic total that has surpassed $197 million. It also delivered the studio's largest-ever opening weekend, with $81.4 million domestically and $118 million globally. Parsons became the youngest filmmaker in history to have a film open at number one at the U.S. box office. Produced by James Wan and Shawn Levy, among others, the film stars Academy Award nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve.

John Papsidera

Outstanding Achievement in Casting Award
Thursday, Oct. 29

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening The Odyssey.

John Papsidera started his professional career as a trained actor, graduating from Florida State University and attending postgraduate studies at Circle in the Square in New York City. Starting as a casting assistant at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, Papsidera moved into feature film casting and worked on such big-budget action films as Clear and Present Danger, The Net, Anaconda, and Cutthroat Island. In 1997, Papsidera formed his own casting company and has since contributed to more than 250 films and TV projects as a casting director. His film credits include Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Boiler Room, The Longest Yard, Enchanted, Zombieland, Zombieland: Double Tap, The Grey, Oz: The Great and Powerful, Gangster Squad, Venom, Uncharted, Honey Boy, The Suicide Squad, Ghostbusters; Afterlife, Ghostbusters; Frozen Empire, Twisters, Saturday Night, and James Gunn's Superman. Papsidera has casted most of Christopher Nolan's films, including Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet, Oppenheimer, and The Odyssey.

Papsidera's TV credits include If These Walls Could Talk, Carnivàle, Lackawanna Blues, Prison Break, Ray Donovan, Casual, Lost in Space, Westworld, Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, Lioness, Lawman: Bass Reeves, The Offer, Landman, The Madison, Wednesday, The Night Agent, Fallout, and MobLand. His achievements in casting include 35 nominations and six prestigious Artios Awards for outstanding casting and six nominations and two Emmy Awards for his work in television. In 2025, Papsidera received the Hoyt Bowers Award for excellence in casting and his body of work and outstanding contribution to the casting profession. Papsidera is in the process of producing two films in addition to his regular casting work and is still looking forward to new horizons of opportunity.

Billie Piper

Marquee Award
Wednesday, Oct. 28

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Elsinore.

Billie Piper will next be seen starring in Simon Stone's Elsinore with Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, and Johnny Flynn, which premiered to acclaim at the 2026 Telluride Film Festival and won the International People's Choice Award at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. Piper can currently be seen in the second series of Tim Burton's hit show Wednesday for Netflix. Her other credits include the lead role in Scoop for Netflix, the BAFTA-nominated show she created and produced with Lucy Prebble; I Hate Suzie and I Hate Suzie Too for Sky and HBO Max; Kaos for Netflix; Lena Dunham's film Catherine Called Birdy, where she starred alongside Scott and Bella Ramsey; Craig Roberts' film Eternal Beauty, where she appeared opposite Sally Hawkins; David Hare's Collateral for BBC2; and the independent film Two for Joy with Samantha Morton. Piper also wrote, directed, produced, and starred in her debut feature film Rare Beasts, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. In 2016, she became the first actor to receive all six of the UK's Best Actress awards for a single stage performance, winning for her role in Yerma at the Young Vic in London and The Armory in New York.

Keanu Reeves

Legend of Cinema Award
Friday, Oct. 30

Keanu Reeves is one of Hollywood's most beloved and enduring stars, with a career spanning film, television, theater, music, comics, and video games. His films have earned more than $7 billion at the worldwide box office, and he is best known for his iconic leading roles in The Matrix and John Wick franchises. His other credits include Point Break, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Constantine, The Devil's Advocate, The Gift, Good Fortune, The Lake House, My Own Private Idaho, Outcome, A Scanner Darkly, Speed, Something's Gotta Give, Toy Story 4, and Toy Story 5.

Reeves will next star in Shiver, a sci-fi action thriller directed by Tim Miller set for theatrical release from Warner Bros. Aug. 13, 2027. Also due in 2027 is Ruben Östlund's The Entertainment System is Down from A24, in which he stars alongside Kirsten Dunst, Samantha Morton, Nicholas Braun, and Daniel Brühl. Reeves made his comic book writing debut with BRZRKR, a 12-issue graphic novel series he co-created and co-wrote with writer Matt Kindt and artist Ron Garney. Published by BOOM! Studios, the series became the highest-selling original comic book series debut in more than 25 years. In 2023, Reeves expanded the BRZRKR universe with The Book of Elsewhere, co-written with acclaimed author China Miéville, which became a New York Times bestseller.

Seth Rogen

Spotlight Award
Tuesday, Oct. 27

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening The Invite.

Seth Rogen is a multi-award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose film and television projects have had a profound impact on popular culture and global box office. Rogen most recently starred in the films The Invite and The Wrong Girls and will next star in Babies, written and directed by his wife Lauren Miller Rogen, and the animated film Tangles. On TV, Rogen took on multiple roles for the Apple TV+ series The Studio, serving as star, writer, director, and producer. The acclaimed series earned 23 Emmy Awards nominations and won 13, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Rogen. His other recent film and TV credits include an Emmy Award-nominated performance in Pam & Tommy as well as The Fabelmans, Good Fortune, Mufasa: The Lion King, Platonic, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Dumb Money, An American Pickle, Good Boys, The Lion King, and Long Shot.

As a producer through his production company Point Grey Pictures, which he started with Evan Goldberg and James Weaver, Rogen's credits include the recent Emmy Award winner The Muppet Show, plus The Boys, Gen V, Invincible, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Sausage Party: Foodtopia, Joy Ride, The Disaster Artist, This is the End, Neighbors, The Interview, Preacher, Future Man, Black Monday, and Middle West. His upcoming projects include a reimagining of The Littlest Hobo and an untitled romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Stephen Merchant. Beyond his film and TV work, Rogen is also a bestselling author for his debut Yearbook, a collection of comedic and personal essays. In 2012, Rogen and his wife founded HFC, a national nonprofit organization providing care for families contending with Alzheimer's.

Emmy Rossum

Outstanding Achievement in Television Award
Wednesday, Oct. 28

This award will be presented as part of the TV Sidebar screening Furious.

Emmy Rossum has captivated audiences with her varied and exceptional talents for more than two decades. Rossum's performance in 2000's Songcatcher earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination, while 2004's The Phantom of the Opera earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination. Her other film credits include A Futile and Stupid Gesture, Comet, Before I Disappear, Beautiful Creatures, Dare, Poseidon, The Day After Tomorrow, and Mystic River. On TV, Rossum starred as Fiona Gallagher in Showtime's critically acclaimed Shameless for nine seasons. She also made her directorial debut on an episode of the show's seventh season, later helming episodes of Animal Kingdom and Modern Love.

In 2019, Rossum signed a first look deal with Universal Content Productions and began developing premium scripted content for the studio under her production company Composition 8. Since then, she has executive produced and starred in the Peacock miniseries Angelyne and the acclaimed Hulu series Furious, which recently concluded its first season. She has also appeared in Law & Order, The Practice, and The Crowded Room. Born in New York City, Rossum began her theatrical career as a seven-year-old, when she sang children's roles at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, performing in five languages in 20 different operas by twelve. In 2007, she recorded the album Inside Out, which showcased her classically trained voice as the primary instrument. In 2013, she released a second album, Sentimental Journey, a collection of 1940s standards. Rossum has worked with Best Friends Animal Society for over a decade and is also on the board of the Gorilla Doctors of Rwanda.

Patrice Vermette

Variety Creative Impact in Production Design Award
Friday, Oct. 30

This award will be presented as part of the event Building Arrakis and Beyond: In Conversation with Patrice Vermette.

Patrice Vermette is an acclaimed production designer whose work on filmmaker and frequent collaborator Denis Villeneuve's celebrated Dune garnered Vermette an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and an Art Directors Guild Award, among numerous other guild, film society, and critics' associations honors. Vermette has since designed for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths and Garth Davis' Foe before embarking on Villeneuve's sequel Dune: Part Two. In 1991, following his studies at Concordia University in Montreal, Vermette started his career designing for music videos and television commercials. His feature film career took off in 2005 after the release of the Canadian independent coming-of-age film C.R.A.Z.Y., which received international critical acclaim and public attention. Vermette followed up with Jean-Marc Vallee's The Young Victoria in 2010, for which he received his first Academy Award nomination. Vermette's other film credits include Adam McKay's Vice and Villeneuve's Enemy, Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, earning his second Oscar nomination in 2017 for the latter. The upcoming Dune: Part Three will mark his seventh collaboration with Villeneuve.

Cast of 'The Mosquito Bowl'

Ensemble Award
Sunday, Oct. 25

Nicholas Galitzine is an actor celebrated for his captivating performances, earning both critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. Galitzine most recently starred as 1980s icon He-Man in Amazon MGM and Mattel's live-action Masters of the Universe, adding to a breadth of work that spans blockbusters, indie films, and acclaimed limited series. His film and TV credits include viewership record-setting Amazon MGM films The Idea of You and Red, White & Royal Blue; Mary & George; 100 Nights of Hero; The Sheep Detectives; and Purple Hearts. He will next star the World War II epic drama The Mosquito Bowl alongside Bill Skarsgård, Ray Nicholson, and Tom Francis. Galitzine has several film and TV projects in the works: the sequel film Red, White & Royal Wedding; the animated film Wings of Freedom; the thriller The Return of Stanley Atwell; and the Netflix fantasy drama A Matter of Time, which recently wrapped production.

Bill Skarsgård has amassed an impressive résumé of diverse roles and continues to fearlessly evolve his body of work as an actor and producer. Most recently, he received rave reviews for his performance in Gus Van Sant's Dead Man's Wire and Michael Sarnoski's The Death of Robin Hood, where he starred alongside Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer. Skarsgård gained international recognition for his portrayal of the iconic clown Pennywise in It, a role he reprised in It: Chapter Two and the TV series It — Welcome to Derry, which he also executive produced. His film career spans titles such as Nosferatu, Barbarian, The Crow, Atomic Blonde, John Wick: Chapter 4, The Devil All the Time, and Boy Kills World, while his TV credits include Clark, Castle Rock, and Hemlock Grove. Skarsgård will next star in Peter Berg's The Mosquito Bowl and Andrew Niccol's Lords of War opposite Nicolas Cage.

Ray Nicholson most recently starred in the action film Novocaine and Ryan Murphy's FX thriller series The Beauty. Nicholson played supporting roles in Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman, Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza, Patricia Arquette's directorial debut Gonzo Girl, and Smile 2 before appearing as the lead opposite Samara Weaving in the comedy thriller Borderline. He will next star in Peter Berg's sports drama The Mosquito Bowl for Netflix alongside Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, and Tom Francis.

Tom Francis is an award-winning, critically acclaimed actor whose work spans film, TV, and theater. Francis made his Broadway debut originating the role of Joe Gillis in Jamie Lloyd's acclaimed revival of Sunset Boulevard, a performance that earned Francis the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical as well as a Tony Award nomination. In 2025, Francis made his TV debut in the final season of Netflix's hit series You, starring opposite Penn Badgley, and his film debut in Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly. Francis will next star in Peter Berg's World War II epic drama The Mosquito Bowl, the second season of the Amazon Prime series Overcompensating, and the upcoming limited series The Off Weeks. His additional stage credits in the United Kingdom include Rent and & Juliet. Francis trained at Arts Educational Schools London.