SFFILM has announced its 2025 Awards Night honorees, celebrating four influential figures who have made significant contributions to contemporary cinema. The event will honor award-winning director Scott Cooper, Academy Award-winning actor Benicio Del Toro, acclaimed actor Wunmi Mosaku, and Academy Award-nominated actress and filmmaker Kristen Stewart. Each honoree will be presented with awards by notable peers, including Regina Hall, Delroy Lindo, and Imogen Poots.
The Awards Night is a crucial event, not just in recognizing excellence in film, but also serving as a fundraiser to support SFFILM’s mission of nurturing and showcasing emerging film artists. With a history dating back to 1957, SFFILM is dedicated to maintaining the diverse ecosystem of cinema through initiatives aimed at youth education and artist development.
The ceremony is set to take place on December 8, 2025, at the Gateway Pavilion located at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. Executive Director Anne Lai expressed excitement about the honorees, whose outstanding work embodies the spirit of film artistry that SFFILM seeks to support.
Among the honorees, Scott Cooper will receive the Irving M. Levin Award for Film Direction, an honor recognizing distinguished masters of global cinema. Cooper is celebrated for his emotionally resonant storytelling across various genres and received acclaim for films such as “Crazy Heart” and “Black Mass.” His latest project, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” showcases his talent further.
Benicio Del Toro will be honored with the Maria Manetti Shrem Award for Acting, awarded annually to recognize performers whose work exemplifies brilliance and integrity. Del Toro’s impressive career includes accolades for “Traffic” and “Che,” with his latest role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film “One Battle After Another” further showcasing his range.
Wunmi Mosaku will receive the George Gund III Award for Virtuosity, which recognizes outstanding visionaries in the film industry. Known for her powerful performances in “Lovecraft Country” and the MCU series “Loki,” Mosaku’s work continues to gain recognition as she stars in Ryan Coogler’s latest project, “Sinners.”
Lastly, Kristen Stewart is being honored with the Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman Award for Storytelling. Stewart, recognized for her stirring portrayal of Princess Diana in “Spencer,” is also expanding her craft with directorial endeavors, including the feature film “The Chronology of Water,” which premiered at Cannes in 2025.
The celebration of these artists promises not only to honor their achievements but also to inspire the next wave of storytellers and filmmakers in the industry, emphasizing SFFILM’s commitment to fostering talent and creativity in film.