Sam Mendes to Receive Ebert Director Award at Toronto Film Festival

Sam Mendes will receive the Ebert Director Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey announced Tuesday.

The award, which recognizes filmmakers who have exemplified greatness in their careers, was named after legendary film critic Roger Ebert and is an evolution of the festival’s Roger Ebert Golden Thumb Award. Past recipients of the award include Denis Villeneuve, Chloé Zhao and Taika Waititi. The TIFF Tribute Awards, presented by BVLGARI, will hold a gala fundraiser during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11 at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

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Toronto will also see the Canadian premiere of Mendes’ most recent film, “Empire of Light.” Mendes, who has been behind such hits as “1917,” “Skyfall” and “Road to Perdition,” wrote, directed and produced the film. Mendes made his feature film debut at TIFF in 1999 with the world premiere of “American Beauty,” which went on to win best picture and best director at the Oscars.

“From his first appearance at TIFF with ‘American Beauty,’ director Sam Mendes brought his exacting and lyrical vision of cinema to Toronto,” Bailey said. “We are delighted to honor his unique voice and body of work with this year’s TIFF Ebert Director Award.”

Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, “Empire of Light” is a story about a relationship and the power of cinema. The film stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones and Colin Firth. Renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins, a frequent Mendes collaborator, shot the film.

Mendes joins the recently announced list of 2022 TIFF Tribute Award honorees, which includes the ensemble cast of “My Policeman,” who will receive the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance presented by Polestar. The tribute awards honor the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements as well as serving as TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser. The event supports TIFF’s Every Story fund, which promotes diversity, equity and inclusion in film.

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