Five of Canada’s most influential women in entertainment — including Torontonians Margaret Atwood, Jeanne Beker and Amrit Kaur — will be honoured with individual awards at The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada 2025 event. An event honouring and celebrating the biggest talent in the entertainment industry in Canada, there will also be keynote speakers, performances, panel conversations and a star-studded gold carpet.
The event, happening on May 29 at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, will be The Hollywood Reporter’s second annual tribute awards. Launched in 2024, Women in Entertainment Canada was presented as a “first-of-its-kind summit” to bring together the Canadian industry — spanning television film and music — and recognize the achievements of women who are driving the industry forward in their fields.
This year, Margaret Atwood will be honoured with the ICON Award, created to recognize Canada’s cultural icons who have advanced the representation of women and whose artistic vision and excellence have inspired audiences around the world.
Host of the iconic Fashion Television, entrepreneur and media trailblazer (and Streets of Toronto columnist) Jeanne Beker has been named this year’s recipient of the IMPACT Award, created to recognize the positive impact of trailblazers who have changed the narrative for women in media by pushing for more opportunities for better representation. She’ll also be featured in a keynote interview at the event, followed by an exclusive book signing of her recent memoir, Heart on My Sleeve: Stories from a Life Well Worn.
Amrit Kaur, the recent star of hit Mindy Kaling-backed comedy series The Sex Lives of College Girls, will receive the Breakthrough Award, honouring rising stars in entertainment and media who are making waves with innovative storytelling and a distinct artistic vision.
The final Torontonian to be honoured is Christina Jennings, founder, chairman and president of film and TV production company Shaftesbury. She’ll be receiving the Glass Ceiling Award, created to recognize excellence in leadership in the Canadian entertainment industry.
Fellow Canadian Tantoo Cardinal will also be a guest of honour — the celebrated actor is the Equity in Entertainment Honouree.
The awards will be hosted by Etalk correspondents Traci Melchor and Lainey Lui, and The Hollywood Reporter’s second annual Canadian Women of Power List will be announced during the event. There will be opportunities for networking, mentorship and mingling for attendees; the schedule includes a panel on women in film and TV directing and one on leadership in the industry.