"Parasite" and TV series "Fleabag" to receive special honors
The American Film Institute (AFI) revealed the recipients of AFI Awards 2019. Unique in its celebration of the film and television arts’ collaborative nature, AFI Awards–now in its 20thyear–is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole, recognizing those in front of and behind the camera.
AFI Awards honorees include 10 outstanding films and 10 outstanding TV programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. In addition to the 20 honorees, AFI also recognizes Parasite and Fleabag with an AFI Special Award, designated for a work of excellence outside the Institute’s criteria for American film and television.
All of the honored works advance the art of the moving image, inspire audiences and artists alike, enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form and make a mark on American society. When placed in an historical context, these stories provide a complex and rich visual record of our modern world.
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
1917
THE FAREWELL
THE IRISHMAN
JOJO RABBIT
JOKER
KNIVES OUT
LITTLE WOMEN
MARRIAGE STORY
ONCE UPON A TIME IN…HOLLYWOOD
RICHARD JEWELL
SPECIAL AWARD
PARASITE
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
CHERNOBYL
THE CROWN
FOSSE/VERDON
GAME OF THRONES
POSE
SUCCESSION
UNBELIEVABLE
VEEP
WATCHMEN
WHEN THEY SEE US
SPECIAL AWARD
FLEABAG
AFI Awards selections are made through a jury process where AFI Trustees, scholars, artists and critics determine the year’s most outstanding achievements and provide artistic and cultural context for the selection of each honoree.
This year’s juries–one for film and one for television–featured acclaimed artists including Emmy®-nominated actor John Amos, Emmy®-nominated director Lesli Linka Glatter, Oscar®-winning writer Callie Khouri, Tony-nominated actor Delroy Lindo and Emmy®-nominated director Betty Thomas; renowned authors and scholars representing prestigious universities with recognized motion picture arts and television programs; film historian Leonard Maltin; the AFI Board of Trustees; and film and television critics from media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, TV Guide and Variety. The juries were chaired by AFI Board of Trustees vice chairs Tom Pollock (former vice chairman of MCA, chairman of Universal Pictures) for film and Richard Frank (former chairman of Walt Disney Television, president of Walt Disney Studios, president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) for television.
Honorees will gather on January 3, 2020, for recognition at the annual AFI Awards private luncheon in Los Angeles, an event favored by the entertainment community for its informal intimacy and its inclusive acknowledgement of excellence.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More