Viola Davis, Mira Sorvino and Iliza Shlesinger among the artists being honored at the festival’s 25th Anniversary Night of the Stars Tribute

The San Diego International Film Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the Night of the Stars Tribute, honoring outstanding artists in the industry. This year’s honorees include Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Viola Davis, Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino, and acclaimed comedian Iliza Shlesinger.

The annual event recognizes artists whose work has significantly impacted film and entertainment. This year’s celebration holds special importance as Viola Davis will receive the Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence, continuing a tradition honoring one of La Jolla’s most celebrated figures.

Viola Davis to Receive the Gregory Peck Award

Presented in partnership with the Peck family, the Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence honors artists who have made extraordinary contributions to film. This award is particularly significant in La Jolla, where Gregory Peck grew up and maintained strong ties to the community. For the festival’s 25th anniversary, this legacy will be honored with Davis’s recognition.

Viola Davis is one of the few performers to achieve EGOT status, having earned an Academy Award, Emmy Award, Grammy Award, and multiple Tony Awards. She has also been named to the TIME 100, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2025 Golden Globes, and has been inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Beyond her acclaimed acting career, Davis is also a producer, author, activist, and philanthropist.

Receiving the Gregory Peck Award adds another major accolade to Davis’s already impressive list of achievements while connecting her legacy to the history of the San Diego community.

Mira Sorvino Honored

Mira Sorvino will also be recognized during the 25th Anniversary Night of the Stars Tribute. She won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Critics’ Choice Award for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite. Sorvino’s career includes a wide range of film and television projects, including Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Summer of Sam, Mimic, Quiz Show, Beautiful Girls, Sound of Freedom, Shining Vale, and American Crime Story: Impeachment. She has also received Golden Globe nominations for Human Trafficking and Norma Jean & Marilyn, the latter earning her an Emmy nomination.

Iliza Shlesinger Brings Comedy to the Celebration

The festival will also honor Iliza Shlesinger, one of today’s prominent stand-up comedians. Shlesinger has released seven comedy specials, including her 2025 special A Different Animal, following six previous Netflix specials.

Her talents extend beyond stand-up; she is an accomplished writer, actor, and producer, as well as a two-time author. She wrote and starred in Good on Paper and has appeared in projects including The Righteous Gemstones, Spenser Confidential, and Instant Family. Her latest film project, CHASING SUMMER, which she wrote and starred in, premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and will be screened during the San Diego International Film Festival on Thursday and Sunday.

Celebrating 25 Years of Cinema

The 25th Anniversary Night of the Stars Tribute continues the San Diego International Film Festival’s tradition of recognizing artists across the entertainment industry while celebrating a significant milestone for the festival. With Davis receiving the Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence, alongside honors for Sorvino and Shlesinger, this year’s celebration brings together three distinctive careers spanning dramatic film, television, comedy, and producing.

The San Diego International Film Festival’s 25th Anniversary Night of the Stars Tribute will honor these artists during this year’s celebration in San Diego.