Accepting the Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award, Jamie Lee Curtis opened the evening with a heartfelt tribute to her late mother and the women of S.H.A.R.E., an organization dedicated to raising money for children. Curtis emphasized the importance of caring for others, echoing Jane Fonda’s message that being “woke” simply means giving a damn about other people. In an interview with Vogue, Curtis expressed her gratitude towards her mother and Dolores, a friend from S.H.A.R.E, who attended the event with her. She credited them for inspiring her own philanthropic efforts and shared how proud her mother would have been to see them standing together that night.

Among the attendees were comedy duo Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, joined by their daughter Maude Apatow who was honored with the Max Mara Face of the Future award. Maude, fresh from the premiere of her directorial debut Poetic License, expressed her gratitude for the recognition and shared her admiration for the women in the room, including Curtis.

The evening featured insightful panels with Crystal Award recipients Mara Brock Akil, Regina King, Tessa Thompson, Dede Gardner, and Gabrielle Nadig. Akil and King discussed their reimagining of Judy Blume’s novel Forever as a story of two Black teens, while Thompson, Gardner, and Nadig delved into the creation of Hedda. Thompson highlighted the importance of women supporting and advocating for each other, both in public forums and behind the scenes.

The night culminated with a humorous acceptance speech from Kristen Wiig, recipient of the inaugural Icon Award from Women in Film (WIF). Kaia Gerber, Wiig’s co-star in Palm Royale, praised Wiig for her ability to blend devastation and laughter seamlessly. As the event wrapped up, guests left with a sense of optimism and possibility. Curtis shared a poignant message from her upcoming film, Ella McCay, emphasizing the theme of hope in the face of trauma.