Toronto Film Festival Dailies

Photo Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, today announced that Academy Award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins will be honoured with the Variety Artisan Award at this year’s TIFF Tribute Gala awards event. The award recognizes a distinguished filmmaker who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema. Taking place on Monday, September 9, at the Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival, the Gala is an annual fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry’s outstanding contributors. Variety is proud to be the exclusive trade media partner on the event. 

Deakins won an Academy Award for Blade Runner 2049, and was nominated for an additional 13 Oscars for his work on films including The Shawshank Redemption; O Brother, Where Art Thou?; No Country for Old Men; Skyfall; and Sicario. His illustrious career, spanning more than 40 years, also includes four ASC Award wins for Outstanding Cinematography, four BAFTA Awards, and collaborations with directors such as the Coen brothers, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Angelina Jolie, Sam Mendes and Denis Villeneuve, making him one of the most sought-after cinematographers in the industry. Deakins’ latest work will be featured in the upcoming film The Goldfinch. Directed by John Crowley and starring Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright and Nicole Kidman, The Goldfinch will have its World Premiere at TIFF and will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 13, 2019.

“Roger Deakins’ pure mastery of the camera lens has made a significant and influential impact on the industry and resulted in timeless works of art that captivate audiences,” said Vicente. “We’re thrilled to honour him with the Variety Artisan Award at the TIFF Tribute Gala, as he continues to showcase his flair for breathtaking visuals, coupled with technical expertise. We can’t wait for audiences to experience his latest masterpiece, The Goldfinch, at the Festival this September.”

“For nearly half a century, the name Roger Deakins has exemplified both breathtaking cinematic beauty and fearless cinematic risk-taking,” said Steven Gaydos, EVP of Content at Variety. “From his early-career work on music docs and small British features through his decades of stellar work for the world’s greatest filmmakers, Deakins has carved out a unique place in the history of cinematography. Capable of exquisite painterly flourishes as well as groundbreaking technological advances in the cinematographic arts, his Oscar win for Blade Runner 2049 capped a run of nominations that included everything from blockbusters like Skyfall to Best Picture winners like No Country for Old Men. This year, with both The Goldfinch and 1917 on the horizon, Deakins continues to dazzle and inspire as he pushes the boundaries of his craft and helps make masterpieces with equally fearless auteurs.”

TIFF previously announced that three-time Academy Award-winning actor Meryl Streep will receive the TIFF Tribute Actor Award sponsored by RBC; three-time Academy Award-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix will receive the TIFF Tribute Actor Award; Taika Waititi will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award; and Participant Media will receive the TIFF Impact Award, accepted by Founder and Chairman Jeff Skoll and CEO David Linde. The recipient of the inaugural Mary Pickford Award supported by MGM, honouring a female emerging talent in the industry in celebration of United Artists’ 100th anniversary, will be announced in the coming days.

The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019. 

For information on purchasing a table for the TIFF Tribute Gala, please contact development@tiff.net.

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About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris, and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.