Iliza Shlesinger attends Netflix's Emmy party at Chateau Marmont in L.A. on Sept. 14, 2026. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Netflix) Iliza Shlesinger and Mira Sorvino will take a spin in the spotlight at the Night of the Stars tribute as they receive top honors from the San Diego International Film Festival.
Set to take place at La Jolla’s Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center on Oct. 13, the event will see Shlesinger receive a Trailblazer trophy while Oscar winner Sorvino will be feted with a Virtuoso Award. The latter is a distinction designed to honor an actor “whose recent performances show extraordinary skill, nuance and range,” per the festival. She’s coming to it hot after wrapping production on the sequel to Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. She next stars opposite John Travolta in That’s Amore from filmmaker Nick Vallelonga and opposite Faye Dunaway, Nicola Peltz Beckham and Jack Huston in the ballet drama Prima.
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Shlesigner meanwhile will receive a Trailblazer honor as a “visionary whose groundbreaking work has challenged convention, opened doors and helped shape the future of the entertainment industry.” The stand-up star, whose next special Iliza Shlesigner: A Different Animal bows on Prime Video next March, segued to the big screen with a romantic comedy titled Chasing Summer. After debuting at Sundance, the Josephine Decker-directed pic has also been selected to screen at SDIFF.
Sorvino at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, Calif. on Aug. 14, 2026. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Disney) “Both Mira Sorvino and Iliza Shlesinger represent the extraordinary range of talent and artistry that we celebrate at the San Diego International Film Festival,” said Tonya Mantooth, SDIFF CEO and artistic director. “Mira’s remarkable performances have demonstrated a depth, intelligence, and versatility that continue to resonate with audiences, while Iliza has forged a distinctive voice that has expanded the possibilities of comedy and storytelling.”
News of the Shlesinger and Sorvino honors come as SDIFF added three new films to the 2026 selection including Shlesinger’s Chasing Summer, Simon Stone’s Elsinore starring Andrew Scott and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’s La Bola Negra.
SDIFF will take place from Oct. 13-18. The full lineup can be found here.
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