American Film Institute (AFI) announced the official selections of AFI AWARDS 2009, AFI’s almanac that records the year’s most outstanding achievements in film and television, as well as significant moments in the world of the moving image.
AFI AWARDS is the only recognition that honors the film and television creative ensembles as a whole—those both in front of and behind the camera—acknowledging the collaborative nature of film and television.
Unlike any other film or television award, the AFI AWARDS 2009 selections are made through AFI’s unique 13-person jury process in which scholars, film artists, critics and AFI trustees discuss, debate and determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as provide a detailed rationale for each selection. Two AFI juries—one for motion pictures and one for television—convened in Los Angeles for two days of deliberations at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel. The jurors have remained confidential until today. (Complete list is below.)
AFI will honor the creative ensembles for each of the selections at a luncheon sponsored by Hewlett-Packard on Friday, January 15, 2010 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The luncheon is by invitation only.
Once again, HP has created scholarships for the AFI Conservatory in conjunction with their support of the AFI AWARDS. The AFI Conservatory is world-renowned for its advanced training of the next generation of storytellers.
“AFI AWARDS 2009 is the tenth chapter in a century-long program to honor the artists and their work,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “This program celebrates the creative community – not competition – and it is in this spirit that the institute brings America’s storytellers together to acknowledge their contributions to our nation’s rich cultural heritage.” The honorees are listed below in alphabetical order:
AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR—OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
CORALINE
THE HANGOVER
THE HURT LOCKER
THE MESSENGER
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE
A SERIOUS MAN
A SINGLE MAN
SUGAR
UP
UP IN THE AIR
AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR—OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
THE BIG BANG THEORY
BIG LOVE
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
GLEE
MAD MEN
MODERN FAMILY
THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY
NURSE JACKIE
PARTY DOWN
TRUE BLOOD
Additional information and video of the honorees can be found at www.afi.com/afiawards.
AFI AWARDS 2009 JURORS
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Norman Jewison, Chair, AFI Awards Jury for Motion Pictures, Director/Producer
Sean Astin, Actor
Dustin Lance Black, Writer/Director/Producer
Leo Braudy, University of Southern California
Mark Harris , Author, Entertainment Weekly/New York Magazine
Patty Jenkins, Director/Producer
Leonard Maltin, Entertainment Tonight
Elvis Mitchell, THE TREATMENT
Chon Noriega, University of California, Los Angeles
Tom Pollock, Producer, Chair Emeritus, AFI Board of Trustees
Claudia Puig, USA Today
Richard Schickel, Historian/Author/Documentary Filmmaker
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Neal Baer, Chair, AFI Jury for Television, Writer/Producer
Stanley Brooks, Producer
Bambi Haggins, Arizona State University
L.S. Kim, University of California, Santa Cruz
Brian Lowry, Variety
David Milch, Writer/Producer
Lisa Parks, University of California, Santa Barbara
CCH Pounder, Actor
Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune
Ellen Seiter, University of Southern California
John Shaffner, President, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Robert J. Thompson, Syracuse University
CRITERIA
Each year, AFI AWARDS honors excellence in American film and television by recognizing the creative ensembles that collaborate to create the year’s outstanding movies and television programs, all of which best advanced the art of the moving image; enhanced the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form; inspired audiences and artists alike; and/or made a mark on American society.
AFI will consider eligible any film that fulfills the following criteria:
FEATURE-LENGTH MOTION PICTURE
Narrative fiction format, over 60 minutes in length.
AMERICAN
Motion picture with significant creative and/or production elements from the United States. The motion picture need not be presented in the English language if it is incontrovertibly American.
THEATRICALLY-RELEASED
Motion pictures originally released between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, which have premiered in a commercial theater and screened for at least five consecutive days in Los Angeles or New York City.
AFI will consider eligible any television program that fulfills the following criteria:
TELEVISION PROGRAM
Narrative fiction format, originated for television as either a series, movie or mini-series.
AMERICAN
English language programs with significant creative and/or production elements from the United States.
BROADCAST
First-run programs airing for American audiences on network or cable television between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009. Only programs broadcast Monday through Saturday, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern/Pacific, and Sundays, between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern/Pacific, are eligible.
About the American Film Institute
AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media.
AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned AFI Conservatory, preserves the legacy of America’s film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and AFI Archives, explores new digital technologies at the AFI Digital Content Lab and honors artists and their work through a variety of programs and special events.
For 37 years, the AFI Life Achievement Award has remained the highest honor for a career in film. AFI also honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year at AFI Awards, the institute’s almanac for the 21st century, while AFI’s 100 Years… series has introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers. And as the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the United States, AFI’s festivals include AFI FEST presented by Audi in Los Angeles and AFI-Discovery Channel SILVERDOCS documentary film festival in Silver Spring, Maryland. AFI exhibition also offers year-round programming at the ArcLight Cinemas and Skirball Cultural
Center in Los Angeles and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in the Washington DC, area. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.
CONTACT:
John Wildman, American Film Institute, 323.600.3165, jwildman@AFI.com
