The 2025 SCAD Savannah Film Festival announced today that global icon and multihyphenate Jennifer Lopez will receive the Virtuoso Award in honor of her performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman and her trailblazing career across film, television, music, and entertainment. Lopez will receive the award following a live recording of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, hosted by THR Executive Editor of Awards Scott Feinberg, in front of a festival audience on Saturday, Nov. 1. Presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), the SCAD Savannah Film Festival — the largest university-run film festival in the world — returns for its 28th year Saturday, Oct. 25 through Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.
“It’s an extraordinary honor to welcome Jennifer Lopez to Savannah,” said Christina Routhier, Senior Executive Director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. “Her performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman is a revelation and having an artist of her global stature join us is a landmark moment for our festival and our community. Her influence across entertainment is unmatched, and we’re thrilled to celebrate her multifaceted career on our stage with The Hollywood Reporter. This is also an extraordinary opportunity for SCAD’s acting and film and television students. Lopez’s career offers invaluable lessons in versatility, resilience, and creative vision. Moments like these not only inspire, but they also elevate our entire program, showcasing the exceptional talent and ambition that define SCAD.”
Jennifer Lopez is an award-winning actress, producer, singer, and businesswoman who has cemented her place as one of the most influential entertainers of all time. A Time 100 honoree, Forbes’ Most Powerful Celebrity, and the first to grace People magazine’s cover for Most Beautiful Woman in the World, Lopez is the only woman to have a No. 1 album and No. 1 film in the same week. Her career spans more than 35 films and over 80 million records sold, with more than 18 billion music video views and 15 billion global streams. Her record-breaking streaming reign continued in 2025 with the premiere of Unstoppable, which soared to the No. 1 spot globally on Prime Video, alongside recent films like Atlas and The Mother underscoring her unparalleled streaming dominance.
Beyond the screen, Lopez has earned accolades across every sector of entertainment, including the MTV Generation Award, Billboard Icon Award, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Her business ventures include Nuyorican Productions, a first-look deal with Netflix, and the creation of Limitless Labs, a philanthropic effort supporting Latina entrepreneurs across the U.S. Her philanthropic passion continues with support of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club, and action as a global advocate for girls and women at the United Nations Foundation.
Written for the screen and directed by Bill Condon, Kiss of the Spider Woman is a visually stunning and emotionally charged movie musical adaptation starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh. Both Lopez and Luna also serve as executive producers. Valentín (Diego Luna), a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez). Condon’s visionary new adaptation is based on the acclaimed 1976 novel Kiss of the Spider Woman by Argentinian writer Manuel Puig and the 1985 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical hit of the same name by playwright Terrence McNally and composer/lyricist team John Kander and Fred Ebb. The film will be released by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions on Friday, Oct. 10.
Festival passes for 2025 are available now. Individual event tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 3.
