Overview SFFILM Awards Night is San Francisco's awards-season gala, a December dinner at Fort Mason where four film artists receive SFFILM's named awards for direction, acting, virtuosity and storytelling, each presented by a fellow artist: in 2023 Ryan Gosling presented Greta Gerwig with the directing award and Tom Waits presented Nicolas Cage with the acting award. It is a fundraiser, and proceeds go to SFFILM's youth education, artist development and year-round film programming. SFFILM runs the San Francisco International Film Festival, which it describes as the longest-running film festival in the Americas, along with the Doc Stories documentary festival; its youth education program dates to 1991 and its artist development program to 2008. On site The 2025 edition was held on a Monday night in December at the Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture. Guests are seated at tables of eight, arrive through a press line with a step and repeat, and each honoree receives the award from a presenter. A slideshow runs on screen through the evening, and the printed program lists the night's supporters. The four awards carry their patrons' names: the Irving M. Levin Award for Film Direction, the Maria Manetti Shrem Award for Acting, the George Gund III Award for Virtuosity, and the Nion McEvoy and Leslie Berriman Award for Storytelling. Audience SFFILM describes the room as film artists, industry veterans and leaders from business, philanthropy and public service. In 2024 the night seated more than 350 guests. Talent and Influencers 2022: Ryan Coogler, presented by Danai Gurira; Margot Robbie, presented by Diego Calva; Sarah Polley; and Stephanie Hsu, presented by Joan Chen. 2023: Greta Gerwig, Nicolas Cage, Cord Jefferson and Roger Ross Williams, with Ryan Gosling, Tom Waits, John Ortiz and Raúl Castillo presenting. 2024: Denis Villeneuve, presented by Austin Butler; Demi Moore, presented by Connie Nielsen; Malcolm Washington; and Jason Reitman, presented by Gabriel LaBelle. 2025: Scott Cooper, Benicio Del Toro, presented by Regina Hall, Wunmi Mosaku, presented by Delroy Lindo, and Kristen Stewart, presented by Imogen Poots for her directing debut, The Chronology of Water. Brand presence Sponsors come in three levels, Platinum, Gold and Silver, each with tables at the dinner and its name on the invitation, the event webpage and the printed program. The top level adds an on-screen advertisement in the event slideshow, the company's branding on the press-line step and repeat, recognition in the remarks from the stage, a joint social campaign, VIP gifting and the option of category exclusivity. A company can also put its name on one of the night's awards.