TORONTO-
Canadian-American actor Brendan Fraser has been emotional reflecting on his on-screen resurgence at a Toronto International Film Festival awards gala.
Fraser’s took the stage at the TIFF Tribute Awards on Sunday to thank the organizers for the “affirmation” of receiving the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance for his lead role in “The Whale.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the film’s director Darren Aronofsky and writer Samuel Hunter for casting him in what he described as a “redemption story” about a 600-pound man trying to reconnect with his daughter.
“Art is about taking chances, and you should know they took a chance on me,” Fraser said in her acceptance speech.
He suggested that his character’s “superpower” was seeing the good in others, even when they cannot see it themselves.
“I strongly believe that we need a little more of that in this world,” Fraser said. “It’s the audience that brings cinema to life, so I have to thank them for keeping me in the job I love.”
TIFF flexed the full return of its in-person star power action at Sunday’s red carpet fundraiser, convening some of the biggest names in Hollywood to celebrate each other’s accomplishments.
Pop sensation Harry Styles picked up a trophy for his turn to act in “My Policeman,” sharing the TIFF Tribute Award with his co-stars Emma Corrin, Gina McKee, Linus Roache, David Dawson and Rupert Everett for their joint performance in the period romance. .
“Thank you so much to everyone here on behalf of all of us for this wonderful, wonderful award,” Styles told the glittering crowd at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York hotel.
“I think we all loved working on this movie and we hope you enjoy it.”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” star Michelle Yeoh shined gold as she accepted the inaugural TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, which recognizes a leader in the film industry who has championed women throughout her career.
In his speech, Yeoh recalled some of the “cuts, bumps” and “scratches” he has incurred during his action-packed filmography, which includes credits like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Crazy Rich Asians.”
For women in Hollywood, success often comes with a “heavy load,” Yeoh said, pointing to persistent gender inequality at the highest levels of the film industry.
“In addition to needing to be twice as good and often half as compensated, we also need to be role models of leaders and beacons for the next generation,” Yeoh said.
“With this award, I guess I’m officially a trailblazer,” she continued. “Now that the ground has been broken, it’s up to the next generation of women, all of you, to build the foundation for something even bigger.”
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sam Mendes was also among the honorees, accepting the TIFF Ebert Director Award. Mendes’ love letter to cinema “Empire of Light” is playing at the festival.
Mendes’ feature film debut, “American Beauty,” screened at TIFF in 1999 and launched him on a trajectory to win multiple Academy Awards.
“I’m excited to be back and even more excited to receive a completely unnecessary award,” Mendes said with a smile on the red carpet before the ceremony.
Legendary Cree artist and activist Buffy Sainte-Marie, star of the documentary “Carry It On,” was also on hand to receive the Jeff Skoll Award at Impact Media. The honor recognizes leadership in bringing social impact and film together.
Canadian directors Sarah Polley and Jason Reitman and English actress Olivia Colman were among the presenters toasting this year’s award winners.
Launched in 2019, the Tribute Awards celebrate “outstanding contributors” to the film industry and raise funds for TIFF programs throughout the year.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on September 11, 2022.