The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) commissioned a set of new unique custom awards to recognize some of the film industry’s outstanding contributors. These recognition awards were presented to recipients at the TIFF Tribute Gala, an annual awards fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programs and its core mission to transform the way people see the world through film. The gala was held September 9, 2019 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.
Seven recognition awards were created and presented to deserving recipients. They were as follows:
The TIFF Tribute Actor Award is presented to a leading performer in their field for their outstanding contribution to cinema. The 2019 recipients of this award were Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix.
The TIFF Ebert Director Award is a lifetime achievement award for a director who has exceeded greatness in their career. The 2019 recipient of this award was Taika Waititi. He is the director of the 2019 TIFF People’s Choice Award Jojo Rabbit.
The TIFF Impact Award is a lifetime achievement award for a leading industry member, recognizing impact and leadership in cinema. The 2019 recipient of this awards was Participant Media.
The TIFF Variety Artisan Award is presented by Variety Magazine to a below-the-line artist and creator to acknowledge their instrumental role within the film industry. The 2019 recipient of this award was Roger Deakins.
The TIFF Mary Pickford Award is given in honour of Mary Pickford, a Toronto native and Co-Founder of United Artists. Launching in 2019 in conjunction with United Artists’ centennial, this award is presented to an emerging female talent in the industry. The 2019 recipient of this award was Mati Diop.
A TIFF Special Tribute Award was also given to Grammy Award-winning composer and producer David Foster.
Bennett Awards worked with TIFF to create a new, unique custom award design for these prestigious awards. The design was based on a geometric, vertically oriented rectangular sculpture with an open cavity in the upper portion. The awards were fabricated in aluminum, and bead-blasted gold. The TIFF logo, award name, and recipient name were all engraved directly into the surface of the award.