AFI Awards 2006 Salutes Film and Television

Source: PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Helen Mirren, Sacha Baron Cohen, Spike Lee, Steve Carrell and many other artists from in front of and behind the camera were among the attendees honored by the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles today, during its AFI AWARDS 2006 luncheon sponsored by Hewlett-Packard.

Additionally celebrated was HP's creation of 20 scholarships to the AFI Conservatory, one for each of the AFI honorees. The AFI Conservatory is world-renowned for its advanced training of the next generation of storytellers.

This is the seventh year to record entries to AFI's almanac of the 21st century, which documents the year's most outstanding achievements in film and television, as well as significant moments in the world of film and television. AFI AWARDS is the only form of national recognition that acknowledges the collaborative nature of film and television by honoring the creative ensembles as a whole-including those both in front of and behind the camera.

The creative community came together today at the Four Seasons Hotel for the luncheon. Among the principal cast members (in alphabetical order) were: Rinko Kikuchi (BABEL), Tricia Helfer, Mary McDonnell, Edward James Olmos and Katee Sackhoff (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA), Sacha Baron Cohen (BORAT), Michael C. Hall (DEXTER), Jennifer Hudson, Keith Robinson (DREAMGIRLS), Adrian Palicki, Scott Porter (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) Ryan Gosling (HALF NELSON), Adrian Pasdar, Masi Oka (HEROES), Helen Mirren (ELIZABETH I), Abigail Breslin, Steve Carrell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano and Greg Kinnear (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE), B.J. Novack (THE OFFICE).

Among acclaimed directors present were: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (BABEL); Larry Charles (BORAT); David Frankel (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA); Bill Condon (DREAMGIRLS); Ryan Fleck (HALF NELSON); Spike Lee (INSIDE MAN); Clint Eastwood (LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA); Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE); John Cassar (24); Lesli Linka Glatter (THE WEST WING); and Ernest Dickerson (THE WIRE).

Helen Mirren closed the event with a moving benediction that honored Robert Altman. Mirren, who starred in Altman's GOSFORD PARK, paid tribute to the fierce independence of mind that distinguished him as a filmmaker and person.

Also among the guests were members of the AFI Board of Trustees, AFI AWARDS jurors and longtime supporters of the institute including: Michael Apted; Richard H. Askin, Jr; Mark Canton; John F. Cooke; Robert A. Daly; Ari Emanuel; Richard Frank; Charles W. Fries; Fay Kanin; Suzanne Lloyd; Mace Neufeld; Daniel Petrie, Jr; Tom Pollock; Jay Roach and Vivian Sobchack.

Michael Apted from the AFI Jury for Motion Pictures and Rich Frank, chair, AFI Jury for Television entered the jury rationales into the almanac by reading them as scenes from the films and TV programs were presented. Announced for the first time today, the complete rationales can be found at http://www.afi.com/. Jean Picker Firstenberg, AFI's President and CEO, congratulated the creative ensembles as a whole from each of the 10 films and 10 television programs selected (listed below and previously announced on December 10, 2006).

The luncheon also reflected on the eight AFI Moments of Significance- issues that most affected the art of film and television during 2006. These spanned issues from the dialog on free speech between television networks and the FCC in which several networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX challenged the FCC's citation of "indecent" language; the explosive growth of YouTube; Clint Eastwood's invaluable contributions to the film community; the prominence of the documentary as a vehicle for global awareness and change, the decision not to air O.J. Simpson's hypothetical "If I Did It" special; Digital media's triumph over VHS; the fusion of journalism and comedy with the success of programs like THE COLBERT REPORT; and the death of maverick American filmmaker Robert Altman.

The official selections are listed below in alphabetical order:

AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR-OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

BABEL
BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT
GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
HALF NELSON
HAPPY FEET
INSIDE MAN
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
UNITED 93

AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR-OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
DEXTER
ELIZABETH I
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
HEROES
THE OFFICE
SOUTH PARK
24
THE WEST WING
THE WIRE

About the AFI Conservatory

The AFI Conservatory is world-renowned for its advanced professional training designed to nurture the talents and enhance the skills of tomorrow's leading storytellers in the global motion picture and television professions. The curriculum focuses on narrative, visual storytelling through hands-on collaboration, taught by working professionals from the film and television communities. Master of Fine Arts degrees are granted in six filmmaking disciplines-Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. The AFI Conservatory has trained more than 3,000 artists since its founding in 1969. These graduates have, and will continue to have, a major impact on the art of film, television and digital media.

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 Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through the AFI Digital Content Lab and K-12 Screen Education Center. As the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the US, AFI ON SCREEN encompasses the annual AFI FEST presented by Audi: AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival-as well as year-round programming at ArcLight Hollywood and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, including SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. AFI AWARDS, the annual almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year, while AFI's 100 Years . . . series has ignited extraordinary public interest in classic American movies. And, during the past 34 years, AFI's Life Achievement Award has become the highest honor for a career in film. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

EVENT PHOTOS

will be available online following the luncheon on Friday January 12, 2007 at http://www.afi.com/about/press/index.asp

Additional photos will be available through Getty Images at http://www.gettyimages.com/

The jury rationales for each selection will also be announced at the luncheon. The complete rationales for all of the selections will be available at AFI.com by 5:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. PST) at http://www.afi.com/tvevents/afiawards06/default.aspx

THE AFI AWARDS 2006 FULL-LENGTH ANNOUNCEMENT

listing the official selections along with the 2006 jury members and Moments of Significance can also be found at: http://www.afi.com/about/press/press.aspx
Website: http://www.afi.com/