The American Film Institute (AFI) announced that AFI DOCS will pay tribute to renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog as the festival’s 2016 Charles Guggenheim Symposium honoree.
The AFI DOCS Charles Guggenheim Symposium honors documentary masters who have inspired audiences with their non-fiction stories of human experience. Taking place at the Newseum on June 24 at 7 p.m., the Symposium will include a conversation with Herzog along with clips from his amazing documentary oeuvre. Moderated by filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, the discussion will be followed by a screening of Herzog’s latest documentary, Lo And Behold, Reveries of the Connected World. Magnolia Pictures will open the film in select theaters in summer 2016.
“Whether exploring unseen corners of the world or contemplating technology in our lives, Werner Herzog’s cinematic voice is unmistakably evocative,” said Michael Lumpkin, director of AFI DOCS. “He wields a world-class power, using his artistry to provoke audiences into seeing their world from the most esoteric angles. We are honored to celebrate his distinguished storytelling career.”
The Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker’s vast documentary credits include Into The Abyss (2011), Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010), the Oscar®-nominated Encounters At The End Of The World (2007), Grizzly Man (2005), The White Diamond (2004), the Emmy®-nominated Little Dieter Needs To Fly (1997), Bells From The Deep (1993), Fata Morgana (1971) and Land of Silence and Darkeness (1971). Throughout his career, Herzog has received top honors from the Berlinale, the Cannes Film Festival, the Directors Guild of America and many more prestigious institutions, including the German Film Academy, which presented him with a lifetime achievement award in 2009. In 2013, Herzog founded the Rogue Film School, through which he hosts a series of intimate seminars with aspiring filmmakers.
Herzog joins a renowned list of Guggenheim Symposium honorees: Charles Guggenheim (2003), Barbara Kopple (2004), Martin Scorsese (2006), Jonathan Demme (2007), Spike Lee (2008), Albert Maysles (2009), Frederick Wiseman (2010), Chris Hegedus and D A Pennebaker (2011), Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (2012), Errol Morris (2013), Alex Gibney (2014) and Stanley Nelson (2015).
Tickets to AFI DOCS, including the Charles Guggenheim Symposium and Screening as well as the Opening and Closing Night Galas, will be available early to AFI members exclusively from May 9–17, and to the public on May 18. Passes for AFI DOCS 2016 are now on sale here. More information about AFI DOCS screenings and other special events will be announced in the coming weeks.
Nikki Baker Becomes CEO At Fallon
Fallon has appointed Nikki Baker as its new CEO. Baker, who joined the creative agency in 2018 and has served as co-chief creative officer with Leslie Shaffer since 2021, succeeds Rocky Novak, who has been in the role since 2019.
Baker’s promotion to CEO comes at a time of significant momentum for the agency, including six consecutive years of growth and award-winning work.
Baker’s recent career highlights include creatively leading the Walmart partnership with the Publicis Groupe team and spearheading innovative campaigns such as the award-winning “RomCommerce” 23-episodic series and the internet-breaking Mean Girls campaign, among hundreds of other campaigns together with the brand over the past few years. Together with Shaffer, Baker has also been instrumental in elevating Fallon’s creative output for longstanding clients like Arby’s, Mattress Firm, and Front Door/American Home Shield.
“I’ve always been an admirer of Fallon, even before I joined. The chance to lead the agency is an absolute honor. Fallon is a place like no other with amazing talent and a legacy of building big, innovative, creative ideas,” said Baker. “Rocky has represented the best of Fallon. He’s been a great leader, and I couldn’t be more excited to take the reins and lead the agency through to the next chapter. With creativity at our core, we’re going to be as ambitious as ever, push boundaries, and continue embracing emerging platforms to deliver work that truly resonates in culture.”
Prior to joining Fallon six years ago, Baker held positions as creative director and art director at agencies including DDB and GSD&M, working with major brands such as McDonald’s, Southwest Airlines, and Wrigley. Her work has been recognized by... Read More