Jamie Lee Curtis, Maude Apatow, Tessa Thompson, Dede Gardner, Gabrielle Nadig, Mara Brock Akil, Regina King, Judy Blume and Nia DaCosta have been set as the recipients of the WIF Honors, given annually by Women In Film, Los Angeles .
The awards will be bestowed November 6 during a gala ceremony at the Beverly Hilton. The theme for this year’s event, which raises fund for WIF’s education, career and advocacy programs, is “unity.” Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka will make a special appearance, organizers said Wednesday.
Curtis will receive the organization’s Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award, which will be presented by Fonda. The Hedda team of Thompson, DaCosta, Gardner and Nadig will receive the Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film, while Brock Akil, Blume and King will receive the Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV for their collaboration on the Netflix series Forever.
Apatow, who just made her feature directing debut with Poetic License, will receive WIF’s Max Mara Face of the Future award, which in its 20th year recognizes “a rising star who embodies style and grace,” WIF said.
“This year’s WIF honorees exemplify how artists are using their voices to drive change,” WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer said in a release announcing the list of honorees. “From rising talent like Maude Apatow to legends like Jamie Lee Curtis and Mara Brock Akil, their inspiring work, both on and off screen, reminds us that solidarity and connectedness are what will protect us, and our ability to tell stories that reflect our full humanity.”
Added WIF Honors co-chairs Victoria Alonso and Tracy McKnight: “WIF Honors is a celebration of unity across generations, disciplines, and stories, and this year’s honorees reflect that. As a collective, we stand united against division, our commitment to fair pay, safe working conditions, and the right to express and create freely. We believe in the power of unified action to transform our industry and are proud to celebrate those leading the way.”
