DaVinci International Film Festival Pays Tribute to Emile Hirsch with Honorary Leo Award

The DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) (October 10-12th) announced today that acclaimed actor Emile Hirsch will receive the Honorary Leo Award at the festival’s seventh edition. The prestigious honor, presented each year to visionaries whose work reflects artistic courage and human endeavor, will be awarded during the Closing Awards Ceremony on October 12, 2025, at AMC Theatres at The Grove in Los Angeles.

“Emile Hirsch’s extraordinary career has helped define a generation of independent cinema, while also making an indelible mark in Hollywood,” comments DIFF founder Chadwick Pelletier. “His powerful and nuanced performance as Joseph Bau in Bau, Artist at War showcases his remarkable ability to bring complex, inspiring characters to life. We’re honored to recognize his oustanding body of work and commitment to storytelling with this year’s Honorary Leo Award.”

Hirsch earned international acclaim with his breakthrough role in Sean Penn’s Into the Wild, which garnered him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and cemented his place among Hollywood’s most compelling young talents.

His impressive filmography includes Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino), opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie; The Comeback Trail, with Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, and Morgan Freeman; Freaks, a psychological sci-fi thriller; Never Grow Old, opposite John Cusack; Lone Survivor, alongside Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, and Ben Foster; and most recently, Bau, Artist at War, where his performance as Joseph Bau has received wide critical acclaim.

Across independent gems and blockbuster successes, Hirsch continues to captivate audiences, bringing both depth and electricity to the screen.

Festival passes and tickets are available now at: Ticketing | DaVinci International Film Festival 2025 (davincifilmfestival.com)

About DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) - DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) is produced by 501(c)3 non-profit DaVinci Film Foundation Inc., as a premier boutique awards platform celebrating independent cinema from around the world, and Leo Awards. The festival hosts four signature programs, including its award-winning screenwriting series, Storyline, DIFFdocs, GENiUS – an ultra-short category, and animation. In 2024, DIFF introduced the Jr. Leo Program for burgeoning filmmakers, as well as a DaVinci Labs exhibition, honoring multidisciplinary creatives in architecture, sculpture, music, and invention. 

Following the proven success of international initiatives such as FilmBC and FilmAsia, DIFF this year has unveiled FilmAfrica. This year, the FilmAfrica program will significantly expand its presence, moving beyond a standard two-hour showcase to headline the Opening Night celebration. This prestigious event serves as a foundational step toward the establishment of a new DaVinci festival location in Nairobi next year. Founded in 2017, DIFF is a top best reviewed film festival, hosting annual events at The Grove in Los Angeles, California. Learn more at davincifilmfestival.com.

Event Information

DaVinci International Film Festival | 7th Edition
Dates: October 10–12, 2025
Closing Night Awards Ceremony | Honorary Leo Award Gala: October 12, 2025
Location: AMC Theatres at The Grove, Los Angeles, CA

Full schedule, festival passes and tickets are now available at: davincifilmfestival.com

Photo credit:  (Photo by Chris Farina/Getty Images for ICT)