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Pamela Abdy, Adria Arjona, Beth de Araújo, Gemma Chan and Salma Hayek Pinault will be saluted at this year’s WIF Honors ceremony.
The gala, which directly funds the organization’s advocacy, research and career programs,
will be held on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
Abdy, co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, will receive WIF’s inaugural Vanguard Award. The prize recognizes the breadth of Abdy’s career, with a particular acknowledgment of her tenure at the studio, where she has overseen blockbusters and award darlings including “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Barbie,” “Weapons,” and “Dune: Part Two.” Last year, Warner Bros. tied the all-time studio record with 11 Academy Awards from an industry-leading 30 nominations.
Abdy will be presented the award by Nancy Meyers, after the studio backed Meyers’ first film in more than a decade. The comedy, starring Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, Emma Mackey and Owen Wilson, is currently in production and slated for release on Christmas Day 2027.
The Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film will go to filmmaker de Araújo and Chan (in absentia) for their collaboration on “Josephine,” a harrowing drama about a young girl who accidentally witnesses a devastating crime in Golden Gate Park. The film won both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance and is set for limited theatrical release on Nov. 20, before expanding nationwide on December 4. The prize marks a full-circle moment for the pair: de Araújo participated in WIF’s financing intensive in 2018, while Chan was named the WIF Max Mara Face of the Future honoree in 2020.
This year’s Face of the Future prize, which recognizes a rising star, goes to Arjona. The actress in on a hot streak following her standout performance in the Peabody-winning series “Andor,” and as executive producer and star of “Los Frikis” and “Splitsville.” Arjona most recently led the A24 action thriller “Onslaught” and will next star opposite Michael B. Jordan in his reimagined “The Thomas Crown Affair” for Amazon MGM.
Finally, Jane Fonda will present the Humanitarian Award — named for Fonda, its inaugural recipient — to Academy Award nominee and Emmy winner Hayek Pinault. Fonda and WIF selected Hayek Pinault for the award to salute her historic career across both film and television, and for her advocacy for the rights of women, children and immigrants.
“The 2026 honorees exemplify what WIF stands for: visionary work, fierce community, and lifting up the next generation,” said WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer in a statement. “At a time when our Reframe research reveals a sobering backslide for women and nonbinary people in this industry, it is vital to celebrate leaders committed to transformation. Pamela Abdy, Beth de Araújo, Adria Arjona, Gemma Chan, and Salma Hayek bring indelible stories to the screen, while actively building a more inclusive culture.”
Victoria Alonso and Andrea Nelson Meigs, co-chairs of this year’s WIF Honors, concurred. “We are proud of this slate of honorees, especially Pam Abdy, whose fearless advocacy for storytellers has helped shape the films that define our industry,” they said. “We’re equally proud to honor Adria, Salma, Gemma, and Beth, women of color in an industry where they remain underrepresented both on and off screen. All of these women deserve recognition, and we can’t wait to celebrate them this November.”
In addition to Alonso and Nelson Meigs, the committee also includes Syrinthia Studer, president of WIF’s board of directors, and board members Tara Duncan, Ivette Rodriguez, Rachel Rusch and Jurnee Smollett.
