Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola has received an offer he cannot refuse. The American Film Institute (AFI) Board of Trustees has announced that the iconic filmmaker will be honored with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award, the nation’s highest accolade for a film career. The award will be presented at a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 26, 2025, benefitting AFI’s educational and arts initiatives.
“Francis Ford Coppola is a peerless artist – one who has created seminal works in the canon of American film and inspired generations of filmmakers who embody his artistry and independent spirit,” said Kathleen Kennedy, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. “AFI is honored to present him with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.”
Coppola, a six-time Academy Award winner and co-founder of American Zoetrope, has directed, written, and produced some of cinema’s most influential films, including The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now, all of which feature prominently on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list. His work extends to Patton, The Conversation, The Outsiders, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with his latest film, Megalopolis, recently receiving a 10-minute standing ovation at Cannes before a global release in IMAX.
Through American Zoetrope, Coppola championed the careers of countless talents, including directors Carroll Ballard and Sofia Coppola, and actors like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Diane Lane, helping shape the landscape of American cinema with his pioneering spirit and dedication to storytelling.
Congratulations, Mr. Coppola.
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