Film Society Directing Award
This award is given each year to one of the masters of world cinema. This year's recipient is Werner Herzog.

Peter J. Owens Award
The Owens Award, named for the longtime San Francisco benefactor of arts and charitable organizations (1936-1991), honors an actor whose work exemplifies brilliance, independence and integrity. This year's recipient is Ed Harris.

Kanbar Award
The Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting acknowledges the crucial role that strong screenwriting plays in the creation of great films. This year's recipient is Jean-Claude Carrière.

Golden Gate Persistence of Vision Award
The POV Award honors the lifetime achievement of a filmmaker whose work is crafting documentaries, short films, animation or work for television. This year's recipient is Guy Maddin.

Golden Gate Awards
The GGAs recognize and promote excellence in documentaries, animation, shorts, experimental film and video, youth works and work for television. Three juries will bestow awards on films in 14 categories. Read more.

SKYY Prize
This $10,000 cash award supports innovative thinking by independent filmmakers and shines the spotlight on an emerging director. Films in this juried competition must be the first narrative feature by the director, exhibit a unique artistic sensibility or vision and deserve to be seen by as wide an audience as possible. Read more.

FIPRESCI Prize
Selected by the International Federation of Film Critics, this award aims to promote film art, to encourage new and young cinema and to help films get better distribution and win greater public attention. Read more.

State of Cinema
Each year, the Festival invites one of the leaders in cinema to address the issues facing the film world today. This year, the State of Cinema address will be delivered by Tilda Swinton.