Heated Rivalry Star Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova Joins Olympic Medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier at MAD HOT BALLET: Reverie Gala. This is the National Ballet of Canada’s Annual Fundraising Gala, held on June 2, 2026, MAD HOT BALLET: Reverie took place at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
MAD HOT BALLET has raised over $17 million since its inception in 2007. More here.
(Photo credit: George Pimentel)
On Thursday night, The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada honoured Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor Andrea Martin (ICON Award); award-winning entertainer, actress, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Lilly Singh (Equity in Entertainment Award); acclaimed actor and producer Malin Akerman (IMPACT Award); Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid (Changemaker Award) and North of North creators Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Breakthrough Award), along with a power list of producers, directors, performers, artists and trailblazers who are leading the country’s creative industry.
The day-long event featured a summit with panels speaking directly to women in the entertainment industry, followed by a cocktail reception and evening awards ceremony.
To access the full Hollywood Reporter Power List, click here.
The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada is a first-of-its-kind summit and awards event that brings the industry together across film, television, and music to celebrate and recognize the achievements of Canadian women who are driving the industry forward in their respective fields.
Some Snaps from the night:
We were on the Carpet and here are the highlights:
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Honouring Canadian Trailblazers and their groundbreaking accomplishments, the second edition of DEPARTURE HONOURS took place last night at Toronto’s Koerner Hall with a star-studded group of notables in attendance. The Departure Festival + Conference is a re-incarnation of what formerly was Canadian Music Week, running from May 4–10, 2026, that acts as a hub for music, technology, art, and media. It combines a high-level industry conference with a city-wide festival featuring live music, comedy showcases, and film
Honoured this year were:
Lilly Singh (Trailblazer Award): Recognized for her impact as a creator and trailblazer.
Bruce Allen (Lifetime Achievement Award): Honoured for his decades-long career in music management, representing artists like Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé.
Sarah McLachlan (Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award): Recognized for her philanthropic work and musical contributions.
Maggie Kang (Cultural Innovator Award): The creator/director of KPop Demon Hunters, who was also awarded a Key to the City of Toronto during the festival earlier in the day.
Jacob Tierney (Creative Impact Award): Writer, director, and producer known for Heated Rivalry and Letterkenny.
The Remix Project (Industry Achievement Award): Recognized for their work in empowering youth in creative industries.
Heated Rivalry star Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova was in attendance to present Tierney with his award.
The Gala was hosted by CTV personalities Traci Melchor and Tyrone Edwards.
Some highlights from the Red Carpet as we were joined by special contributor Angela McLean, including last night’s Honourees, who reflect upon their success and their path to where they are now:
There still are several exciting conferences, film screenings, showcases, and more to check out. Details are at departureto.com.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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