Australian actor and producer Cate Blanchett will be honored at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Tribute Awards as the recipient of the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award. Blanchett will also participate in an In Conversation With...event, offering audiences an intimate look into the two-time Academy Award winner’s career.

A trailblazer in advocating for greater representation and equality in the film industry and one of the most revered performers in modern cinema, the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award winner is a leading woman in the film industry who has championed the careers of others and paved the way for the next generation. Honoring the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements, the TIFF Tribute Awards is a fundraising event that takes place on Sunday, September 8, at Fairmont Royal York Hotel, with proceeds going towards TIFF’s Every Story Fund, which champions diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in film.

“Cate Blanchett is a marvel,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. “One of the finest actors in film history, she has consistently shown range, depth and audacity on screen. Off screen, she has been a tireless champion of increased equity and justice in many sectors. Cate’s passion for the transformative power of storytelling, and her commitment to breaking down barriers for women, align with the goals of our Share Her Journey initiative. We’re honored to present Cate Blanchett with this year’s Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, and can’t wait to welcome her back to Toronto.”

The TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award is inspired by TIFF’s Share Her Journey initiative, created to address gender parity in the film industry, to champion women at every stage of their creative journey, and to shine a spotlight on women creators making a significant difference in the industry. Past recipients are Patricia Arquette (2023) and Michelle Yeoh (2022). 

Blanchett joins the recently announced iconic Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter David Cronenberg, who will be recognized with the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award; and Oscar-nominated actor Amy Adams, who will receive the TIFF Tribute Performer Award. Award-winning Korean Canadian actor and producer Sandra Oh is the inaugural honorary chair of TIFF’s largest fundraiser, now in its sixth year. Serving as a kick-off to awards season, the Tribute Awards have in the past honored Jessica Chastain, Roger Deakins, Colman Domingo, Brendan Fraser, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Joaquin Phoenix, Taika Waititi, Michelle Yeoh, and Chloé Zhao, who have gone on to win awards on the international stage.

An integral part of TIFF’s year-round and Festival programming, In Conversation With... connects audiences with leading film artists through intimate, moderated discussions about their creative process. Packed with emotion and cultural significance, this series offers audiences a wide range of experiences.

Blanchett has forged a unique career on stage and screen as an artist, producer and cultural leader. Working with many of the world’s leading filmmakers, she has crafted defining roles in critically acclaimed films such as Tár, Carol, I’m Not There, and Notes on a Scandal. Equally at home in arthouse discoveries as she is in box-office blockbusters, Blanchett won Academy Awards came for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, and numerous other honors have included four BAFTAS and four Golden Globes. Raised in Australia, Blanchett began her career on the Sydney stage. While her international success came following Elizabeth in 1988, she would later return to her home country to run its de facto national theatre, the Sydney Theatre Company, as co-artistic director and co-CEO, transforming it in the process to an award winning green arts hub. Small-screen work includes the leading role in Mrs America which she also produced through the production company she co-runs, Dirty Films. Recent projects at Dirty Films include Proof of Concept supporting emerging women, trans and nonbinary filmmakers. She is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, a member of the Earthshot Prize Council and a leading advocate for the cultural industries, human rights and the environment.

More Toronto International Film Festival details will be announced in the coming weeks. The full Festival schedule will be released on Tuesday, August 13. The 49th Toronto International Film Festival takes place September 5–15.