Jessica Chastain, Denis Villeneuve to be honoured at TIFF

Special Correspondent Malti Sahai

As per the first list of awardees released by the festival, Jessica Chastain will be honoured by Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) with its Tribute Actor Award.

Chastain's upcoming movie "The Eyes of Tammy Faye", which she stars in and produces, will premiere at the upcoming 46th edition of the festival. The "Eyes of Tammy Faye" chronicles the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.

"Jessica has brought to life such strong and inspiring roles for women. From the films that have screened at TIFF such as "The Debt," "Take Shelter," "The Martian," "Crimson Peak" and "Molly's Game," to the upcoming world premiere of "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" at the festival. She stands out as one of the most respected actors of her generation and her recent portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker is a testament to her exceptional onscreen presence and talent, said Joana Vicente, executive director and co-head of TIFF. Jessica Chastain essays the role of the televangelist, while Andrew Garfield plays Baker.

Denis Villeneuve will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award and Alanis Obomsawin will be honoured with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media at the 2021 TIFF Tribute Awards. Both are Canadian.

Denis Villeneuve is known for directing films like "Prisoners" and "Blade Runner 2049" and was nominated for an Oscar for the 2016 film "Arrival." His new film, an adaptation of "Dune," will be playing at the festival after its world premiere in Venice.

Acknowledging Villeneuve's contribution to cinema Bailey said, "There is no question Denis is an accomplished and outstanding filmmaker. He has a wonderful body of work and operates at an incredible level of excellence on the world stage. Over the years, Denis has brought many of his films to TIFF, so we feel a special closeness to him. It is wonderful to be celebrating his career at this time."

Alanis Obomsawin, has been making films for over 50 years, exploring the lives of First Nations peoples. She's a member of the Abenaki Nation. The Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema. Vicente said, "As a gifted documentary filmmaker and impassioned storyteller, Alanis brings awareness to vital Indigenous issues and is widely recognized as a national treasure because of her extraordinary body of work."

TIFF is dedicated to amplifying the voice of Black and Indigenous filmmakers and filmmakers of colour, emerging Canadian talent, and powerful storytellers who identity as women. Previous TIFF Award winners have included Chloé Zhao, Kate Winslet and Sir Anthony Hopkins. The list of Honoraries is ongoing. Further names added will continue to be announced during the festival.

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