Named after legendary movie critic Roger Ebert, the Award has gone to celebrated visionaries reminiscent of Martin Scorsese, Claire Denis, Ava DuVernay, Wim Wenders, and the late Agnès Varda. Previous recipients who obtained the TIFF Ebert Director Award because the TIFF Tribute Awards have been launched embrace Spike Lee in 2023; Sam Mendes in 2022; Denis Villeneuve in 2021; Chloé Zhao in 2020; and Taika Waititi in 2019.

Along with Leigh, Canadian filmmaker Durga Chew-Bose (“Bonjour Tristesse”) will obtain the TIFF Rising Expertise Award (offered by Amazon MGM Studios). The TIFF Selection Artisan Award will go to French songwriting and composing duo Camille Dalmais and Clément Ducol, in honor of their rating for the Netflix-bound Jacques Audiard movie “Emilia Pérez.” 

Along with these recipients, the TIFF Tribute Awards plan to honor Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, and David Cronenberg at a gala fundraiser on Sunday, September eighth, at Fairmont Royal York Lodge. Sandra Oh will function Honorary Chair. 

“It’s a real honour to welcome Mike Leigh again to the Competition and current him with the TIFF Ebert Director Award,” mentioned TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey in a press launch. “Leigh has lengthy been acknowledged as one among cinema’s nice artists; Roger Ebert himself praised Leigh’s ‘sympathy, penetrating statement, and intuition for human comedy.’ “Onerous Truths” is each a summation of that work and a daring transfer ahead.”