AFI FEST 2009 PRESENTED BY AUDI ANNOUNCES NEW LIGHTS COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS
“FISH TANK” AND “WOMAN WITHOUT PIANO”
SHARE HONOR
SPECIAL JURY MENTION GOES TO “AJAMI”

LOS ANGELES (November 5, 2009)—AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi tonight
announced Andrea Arnold’s FISH TANK and Javier Rebello’s WOMAN WITHOUT
PIANO as the joint winners of the inaugural AFI FEST New Lights Competition. A
Special Jury Mention went to Scandar Copti’s and Yaron Shani’s AJAMI. The New
Lights Competition was created to acknowledge and honor vital, groundbreaking films
by first and second time feature filmmakers from around the world.

The winners were announced at AFI FEST’s reception in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
following the Closing Night Gala presentation of Tom Ford’s A SINGLE MAN at
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The star-studded event included appearances by the
director and the film’s stars Colin Firth, Ginnifer Goodwin, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew
Goode, and Ryan Simpkins as well as celebrity guests Cindy Crawford and Randy
Gerber, Robert Evans, Harry Hamilin and Lisa Rinna, Kenny Ortega, Brett Ratner, and
Rita Wilson among others.

The awards were presented by actress and filmmaker Angela Bassett, who chaired the
jury, following an introduction of her fellow jury members: fellow actress and filmmaker
Julie Delpy, noted film journalist and author Bill Krohn, Buenos Aires International
Independent Film Festival (BAFICI) Artistic Director Sergio Wolf and Hong Kong
filmmaker Yonfan. FISH TANK cast member Michael Fassbender was on hand to
accept on behalf of the film.

AFI FEST Artistic Director Rose Kuo said, “The establishment of the AFI FEST New
Lights Competition has been one of many highlights for this year’s festival. Led by
Angela Bassett, our jury enjoyed and deliberated over a truly outstanding group of films,
and ultimately decided that the award should be shared by these two amazing works of
art.”

NEW LIGHTS COMPETITION AWARD WINNER

FISH TANK Cast: Michael Fassbender, Harry Treadaway, Katie Jarvis, Kierston
Wareing DIR: Andrea Arnold PROD: Kees Kasander EXEC PROD: Christine Langan,
David M. Thompson, Paul Trijbits UK

WOMAN WITHOUT PIANO (LA MUJER SIN PIANO) Cast: Jan Budar, Esperanza De la
Vega, Tomás del Estal, Nadia de Santiago DIR: Javier Rebello EXEC PROD: Damián
Paris, Stefan Schmitz, María Zamora Spain/France

SPECIAL JURY MENTION

AJAMI Cast: Fouad Habash, Nisrine Rihan, Elias Saba, Youssef Sahwani DIR: Scandar
Copti, Yaron Shani PROD: Moshe Danon, Thanassis Karathanos EXEC PROD: James
Richardson Israel/Germany

AFI FEST 2009 NEW LIGHTS COMPETITION JURY MEMBERS

ANGELA BASSETT
Angela Bassett trained at the Yale School of Drama before going on to appear on-and
off-Broadway. Bassett’s first breakout role in movies was in BOYZ N THE HOOD
(1991). She earned the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama and NAACP Image
Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Tina Turner
in the biopic WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT (1993). Among her other movies are:
MALCOLM X (1992), HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK (1998), MUSIC OF
THE HEART (1999), WAITING TO EXHALE (1995), and AKEELAH AND THE BEE
(2006). Bassett joined the final season of ER (2008-2009) and will make her directorial
debut with the film UNITED STATES (2010), adapted from Percival Everett’s novel
Erasure.
JULIE DELPY
Julie Delpy has made a name for herself as a director, actress, singer and writer in
Europe and the US. She was recently nominated for an Academy Award as a writer
(with co-writers Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater) for BEFORE SUNSET (2004), a
follow-up to BEFORE SUNRISE (1995). She also starred in both films. Delpy has
worked with the esteemed directors Jean-Luc Godard on DETECTIVE (1985),
Agnieszka Holland on EUROPA EUROPA (1990), Krzysztof Kieslowski on the TROIS
COULEURS trilogy (1993, 1994, 1994), Roger Avary on KILLING ZOE (1993), Jim
Jarmusch on BROKEN FLOWERS (2005) and Lasse Hallstrom on THE HOAX (2006).
Delpy made her directorial debut with the short film BLAH BLAH BLAH (1995). In 2007,
she wrote, directed and starred in 2 DAYS IN PARIS.

BILL KROHN
Bill Krohn has been the Los Angeles correspondent for the French magazine Cahiers
du cinema since 1978. In 1994 he co-directed, co-produced and co-wrote IT’S ALL
TRUE: BASED ON AN UNFINISHED FILM BY ORSON WELLES for Paramount
Pictures and Films Balenciaga, Paris. He is the author of the Hitchcock au
travail/Hitchcock at Work (Cahiers du cinema/Phaidon) monograph; a monograph for
Stanley Kubrick for Cahiers du cinema/Le Monde; and Luis Bunuel: Chimera (Taschen
Books). He also edited Joe Dante et les Gremlins de Hollywood (Locarno/ Cahiers du
cinema). He reviews films for The Economist and is completing Serial Killer Dreams for
Reaktion Books, London.

SERGIO WOLF
Sergio Wolf is a critic, professor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He was a programmer at
the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival (BAFICI) from 2005 to 2007,
and has been the artistic director of BAFICI since 2008. Wolf has written Cine
Argentino: La otra historia (1992), Cine/Literatura: Ritos de pasaje (2001) and Nuevo
Cine Argentino (2002). In addition, he wrote the screenplays for the Raúl Perrone films
LA FELICIDAD (UN DÍA DE CAMPO) (1998) and ZAPADA (1999), Anahí Berneri’s
ENCARNACIÓN (2006) and POR TU CULPA (2008) and Inés de Oliveira Cézar’s
EXTRANJERA (2006). Wolf directed the films YO NO SE QUÉ ME HAN HECHO TUS
OJOS (2003) and LAS ORILLAS (2007).

YONFAN
A true auteur of Asian cinema, PRINCE OF TEARS director Yonfan writes, directs and
produces his own films. He also serves as art director for his projects. Born in Hunan,
China, he moved to Taiwan with his parents in 1952. Yonfan spent his adolescent years
in Taichung before moving to Hong Kong in 1965. Yonfan began directing his own
features after working in movie distribution and as an acclaimed photographer. He has
made 13 films. He first received international acclaim with BISHONEN (1998) at the
1999 Berlin International Film Festival. His next production, PEONY PAVILION, opened
the 2001 Hong Kong International Film Festival and won the Best Actress Award at the
Moscow Film Festival for Rie Miyazawa. It was voted one of the Ten Best Films by Time
Magazine. He then worked on COLOR BLOSSOM (2004) starring Keiko Matsuzaka,
Harisu and Theresa Cheung. He has just completed PRINCE OF TEARS, his first film
shot in Taiwan.

AFI FEST 2009 OVERVIEW:

The first film festival of its size and magnitude to offer free tickets to all of its screenings,
including Gala presentations, AFI FEST 2009 rolled out the red carpet with the highly
anticipated North American Premiere of Wes Anderson’s THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX
on October 30. Starring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason
Schwartzman, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson, the event featured appearances by Murray
and Schwartzman as they joined Anderson for a rare West Coast premiere for one of
his films.

Other highlights of the Festival included the Centerpiece screening of Terry Gilliam’s
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS with Gilliam and AFI FEST Tribute subject
Christopher Plummer in attendance, Gala screenings of Lee Daniels’ PRECIOUS,
BASED ON THE NOVEL “PUSH” BY SAPPHIRE with the director and nearly the entire
cast as well as executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry in attendance,
EVERBODY’S FINE with Robert DeNiro, Kate Beckinsale and Drew Barrymore on hand
to support director Kirk Jones, and a Tribute to Viggo Mortensen preceding a screening
of THE ROAD.

DigiFest opened its doors to the public, production design legend Bob Boyle – who
turned 100 this year — was celebrated with a tandem screening of Daniel Raim’s
documentary SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE and a special 50th Anniversary screening of
Alfred Hitchcock’s classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST – including a conversation with
cast members with Martin Landau and Eva Marie Saint that was moderated by director
William Friedkin.

Additional attendees at AFI FEST 2009 included Paula Abdul, Judd Apatow, Mel B.,
Fairuza Balk, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, Lily Cole, Jennifer
Coolidge, Joe Dante, Charlize Theron, Eva Mendes, Ivan Reitman, Jamie Foxx, Brian
Geraghty, Maggie Grace, Shawn Hatosy, Harmony Korine, Ali Landry, Samm Levine,
Mario Lopez, Eva Longoria Parker, Paula Patton and Robin Thicke, Amanda Plummer,
Sidney Poitier and his daughter Sydney Poitier, Corneliu Porimboiu, Sherri Shepherd,
Mallika Sherawat, Gabourey Sidibe, Verne Troyer, Olivia Wilde, Shailene Woodley and
Madeline and Yvonne Zima, and among others.

AFI FEST 2009 will conclude with two days of screenings sponsored by Moving
Pictures Magazine at the Laemmle’s Monica 4-plex, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, as
part of AFI FEST’s alliance with the American Film Market. Those screening will be
highlighted by the World Premiere of Agnieska Wojtowicz-Vosloo’s AFTER.LIFE
starring Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci and Justin Long. The director, as well as Ricci
and Long will attend the screening and participate in a Q&A.

Overall, AFI FEST 2009 showcased 67 features (54 narrative, 13 documentary) and 27
shorts for a total of 94 films representing 32 countries.

For full press release, click here.

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AFI FEST 2009 PRESENTED BY AUDI ANNOUNCES THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY’S “A SINGLE MAN” AS CLOSING NIGHT GALA PRESENTATION

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS’
“THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS”
IS CENTERPIECE SCREENING GALA PRESENTATION

PROGRAMMING INCLUDES TRIBUTES TO
VIGGO MORTENSEN AND CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER

COMPLETE FESTIVAL LINEUP ANNOUNCED

TICKETS AVAILABLE STARTING FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

LOS ANGELES (October 14, 2009)—AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi today announced the complete lineup of films for the 23rd edition of the Festival, including the Closing Night Gala, Centerpiece Screening, Tributes and Special Presentations.

The Weinstein Company’s A SINGLE MAN has been selected as the AFI FEST Closing Night Gala presentation. A SINGLE MAN will make its US Premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Thursday, November 5, 2009.

Sony Pictures Classics’ THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS has been selected as AFI FEST’s Centerpiece Screening Gala presentation. THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS will make its US Premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Monday, November 2, 2009.

The Closing Night Gala presentation of A SINGLE MAN features the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford from his script adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s acclaimed novel. The film follows a day in the life of a gay British college professor in Los Angeles as he attempts to cope with the death of his partner. Ford’s work helming the project and Colin Firth’s lead performance in the film have received critical acclaim following screenings at the Venice and Toronto film festivals. Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode and Ginnifer Goodwin also star in the film. The Weinstein Company release is due in theaters on December 11.

Ford, Firth and Moore are scheduled to attend.

“It is exciting to champion a talented artist like Tom Ford as he moves beyond the boundaries of one medium into another. In A SINGLE MAN, he delivers an elegant and beautiful personal story that will resonate with all audience members“ said AFI FEST Artistic Director Rose Kuo.

The Centerpiece Screening Gala presentation features the latest work by director Terry Gilliam. THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS follows the leader of a traveling theater troupe who, having made a deal with the devil, takes audience members through a magical mirror to explore their imaginations. The film stars Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Heath Ledger in his final role. The Sony Pictures Classics release is due in theaters stateside on December 25.

Gilliam and Plummer are scheduled to attend.
“The mind-altering, looking-glass world that Terry Gilliam creates in THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS,” notes Director of Programming Robert Koehler, “is like a model for his ideal cinema, in which anything can happen and all rules are broken. If audiences thought that THE DARK KNIGHT was their last glimpse of Heath Ledger, then what Ledger brings to Gilliam’s fantasy-adventure will surprise them.”

AFI FEST has selected actors Christopher Plummer and Viggo Mortensen to receive tributes at this year’s Festival. Sponsored by the Skirball Cultural Center, Plummer’s tribute event will precede the screening of his film THE LAST STATION on Tuesday, November 3. Mortensen’s tribute will precede the US Premiere of the film THE ROAD on Wednesday, November 4. Both Tributes will take place at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

One of the world’s most respected actors, Plummer has won two Tony Awards (for CYRANO and BARRYMORE), three Drama Desk Awards, the National Arts Club Medal and two Emmys. He was a leading member of Laurence Olivier’s Royal National Theatre and Peter Hall’s Royal Shakespeare Company. Since appearing in Sidney Lumet’s STAGE STRUCK (1958), his more than 100 films have included WIND ACROSS THE EVERGLADES (1958), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), WATERLOO (1970) and TWELVE MONKEYS (1995), THE INSIDER (1999), A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001), SYRIANA (2005) and INSIDE MAN (2006). He stars as Leo Tolstoy in THE LAST STATION and plays the title role in THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS.

John Hillcoat THE ROAD is adapted from the acclaimed novel by Cormac McCarthy, THE ROAD stars Mortensen as a father making his way with his young son across the scorched landscape of a post-apocalyptic world. Directed by Hillcoat from a script by Joe Penhall, the film also stars Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Molly Parker. The Weinstein Company release is due in theaters November 25.

Mortensen, Hillcoat and Theron are scheduled to attend.

From his debut in Peter Weir’s WITNESS (1985) to his signature role of Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, Mortensen’s career has been highlighted by intensely stunning portrayals of men of strict and uncompromising character dealing with a shifting moral universe. Notable films include Sean Penn’s INDIAN RUNNER (1991), Gregory Widen’s THE PROPHECY (1995), Ridley Scott’s G.I. JANE, Tony Goldwyn’s A WALK ON THE MOON (1999), David Cronenberg’s A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005) and EASTERN PROMISES (2007)—for which he received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations—and Ed Harris’ APPALOOSA (2008).

“Viggo Mortensen and Christopher Plummer are two actors and film artists of the highest order,” said Kuo. “They share that rare trait of being looked up to by audiences and film fans around the world as well as being greatly respected by their peers.”

Other highlights among the complete film schedule announced today include Jonathan Demme’s music documentary NEIL YOUNG TRUNK SHOW (with Demme and Young confirmed to attend) and the screening of two films connected by legendary art director and longtime AFI Conservatory Distinguished Lecturer Robert Boyle, who turned 100 on October 10. Those films are AFI Conservatory Alumnus Daniel Raim’s (Production Design ’99) documentary SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE and Alfred Hitchcock’s classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

A follow-up to Raim’s Oscar-nominated documentary, THE MAN ON LINCOLN’S NOSE, SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE profiles Boyle (THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, THE BIRDS) and renowned art directors Henry Bumstead (TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE STING), Harold Michelson (STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, CATCH-22) and Albert Nozaki (THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS), as well as master cinematographers Conrad Hall (IN COLD BLOOD, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID) and Haskell Wexler (WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT). From snapshots, sketches and vintage footage interwoven with interviews and new scenes of these octogenarian artists at work, we get a behind-the-scenes look at master moviemaking.

Boyle and Wexler will attend the World Premiere screening.

On Monday, November 2, AFI FEST, in conjunction with Warner Home Video will present a special screening of Hitchcock’s NORTH BY NORTHWEST. The first Hitchcock film to be released on Blu-ray, the film has been restored and remastered for its 50th anniversary. As part of the Gala event, director William Friedkin will attend to moderate a Q&A with Boyle and the film’s stars Eva Marie Saint and Martin Landau.

Koehler noted, “In our 23rd year, our programming seeks to shine a light on an international cinema landscape filled with brilliant young filmmakers forging fresh, unexpected pathways, documentarians on a quest for truth, and a fascinating survey of stop-motion animation (FANTASTIC MR. FOX, IN THE ATTIC, A TOWN CALLED PANIC), while delivering what AFI FEST has done from the beginning—offering audiences a view of the vastness of cinema across the world.”

AFI FEST continues its unique and successful association with the American Film Market with 23 of the features in official selection at AFI FEST represented by distributors at AFM, unfolding concurrently with AFI FEST from November 4–November 11. The following films are among those that will participate in the market and screen at the festival: AFTER.LIFE; THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL, NEW ORLEANS; BELLAMY; CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH; EVERYONE ELSE; FIRST OF ALL, FELICIA; FISH TANK; THE HOLE; THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS; KANIKOSEN; THE LAST STATION; THE LOVED ONES; THE MESSENGER; THE MILK OF SORROW; MOTHER; NEIL YOUNG TRUNK SHOW; PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE; THE ROAD; THE SILENT ARMY; A SINGLE MAN; THE TWO HORSES OF GENGHIS KHAN; WOMAN WITHOUT PIANO; YOUTH IN REVOLT.

Enhancing the AFI FEST/American Film Market alliance, the final two days of AF FEST (November 6-7) will screen at the Laemmle’s Monica 4-plex, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, in close proximity to AFM headquartered activity.

AFI FEST 2009’s overall lineup will showcase 67 features (54 narrative, 13 documentary) and 27 shorts for a total of 94 films from 32 countries.

The breakdown by section is Galas/Tributes (7), New Lights Competition (11), Special Presentations (3), Documentary (13), World Cinema (27), Alt_Cinema (6) and Shorts (27).

The Festival is headquartered at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. All screenings from October 30–November 5 will take place at the Grauman’s Chinese and Mann Chinese 6 theaters in Hollywood with the final two days of the Festival (November 6-7) screening at the Laemmle’s Monica 4-plex in Santa Monica.

Free tickets to all Festival screenings are available online at AFI.com/AFIFEST or by phone at 866-AFI-FEST beginning October 16, at the Mann Chinese 6 Theatre (6925 Hollywood Blvd.) in the Hollywood and Highland Center) beginning October 26, and on the day of scheduled screenings via Rush Lines. Early entry to all screenings can be secured by becoming a patron of the Festival and purchasing an AFI FEST Patron Pass. For more details, visit AFI.com.

Click here to access the full press release with the complete schedule.

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 11, 2009-Mike Nichols has been selected by the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Board of Trustees to receive the 38th AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film, it was announced today by Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees.

The award will be presented to Nichols at a gala tribute in Los Angeles next summer.

Upon being notified of the honor, Nichols said, “I’m surprised and pleased. The AFI award is truly an honor. I feel very blessed. I was watching THE GRADUATE on my Blackberry last week and it really holds up.”

“Genius is a word oft overused in our world, but surely not in the case of Mike Nichols,” said Stringer. “His artistry has spanned the mediums of modern storytelling – movies, television and the stage – and his gifts across five decades continue to inspire artists and audiences alike. It is AFI’s honor to present him with its 38th Life Achievement Award.”

TV Land will broadcast the 38th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute on TV Land PRIME.

About Mike Nichols
Born in Berlin in 1931, Mike Nichols fled Nazi Germany at age eight. He was certified a genius at 12, became half of the hit comedy act “Nichols and May” in his twenties, was an acclaimed director of stage and screen in his thirties, conquered television, and now, in his late seventies, remains a force equally at ease in all mediums. As such, he is one of the few artists to have received the Oscar, the Emmy, the Tony and the Grammy.

After spending his adolescence in New York, Nichols attended the University of Chicago, where he met Elaine May. The two writers developed the premier comedy act of the late ‘50s, performing in clubs, on TV and eventually on Broadway, where their show, An Evening with Nichols and May (1960) led to a Grammy-winning recording.

After they split, Nichols found a new collaborator in playwright Neil Simon, directing four hit Broadway shows—Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, and The Prisoner of Second Avenue—all Tony Award winners.

Having honed his craft on stage, Nichols moved to the big screen in 1966, when Elizabeth Taylor handpicked him to direct WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Despite studio objections, Nichols shot the film in stark black and white, occasionally using handheld shots to intensify the dramatic tension. WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? was a box-office and critical success, earning 13 Academy Award nominations, including one each for the four actors as well as for Best Director.

Nichols’ second film, THE GRADUATE (1967), won him the Best Directing Oscar. He went on to direct an adaptation of Joseph Heller’s CATCH-22 (1970), CARNAL KNOWLEDGE (1971), THE DAY OF THE DOLPHINS (1973) and the period comedy THE FORTUNE (1975). He returned to Broadway in 1977 with two very different hits: producing the musical Annie and directing the drama The Gin Game with Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.

In 1983, Nichols returned to features with the biopic SILKWOOD. Reuniting with both Streep and Nicholson in 1986, he helmed HEARTBURN, an adaptation of Nora Ephron’s best-selling novel, followed by WORKING GIRL (1988), an adaptation of Carrie Fisher’s semi-autobiographical POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE (1990), THE BIRDCAGE (1996) and PRIMARY COLORS (1998).

In 2001, Nichols returned to television by directing Emma Thompson in an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama WIT for HBO, earning Emmy Awards for directing and producing. He followed up in 2003, producing and directing the six-part miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner’s ANGELS IN AMERICA for HBO, which received 11 Emmy Awards. Then, in his triumphant return to Broadway in 2005, he won his sixth Tony as Best Director for the musical Spamalot, based on the movie MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975). And in 2007, well into his seventies, Nichols returned to features to direct CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR.

About the AFI Life Achievement Award
The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Life Achievement Award was established by the AFI Board of Trustees on February 26, 1973. It is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees:

“The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”

AFI Life Achievement Award Recipients

Mike Nichols joins an esteemed group of individuals who have been chosen for this distinguished honor since its inception in 1973.

1973 John Ford
1974 James Cagney
1975 Orson Welles
1976 William Wyler
1977 Bette Davis
1978 Henry Fonda
1979 Alfred Hitchcock
1980 James Stewart
1981 Fred Astaire
1982 Frank Capra
1983 John Huston
1984 Lillian Gish
1985 Gene Kelly
1986 Billy Wilder
1987 Barbara Stanwyck
1988 Jack Lemmon
1989 Gregory Peck
1990 Sir David Lean
1991 Kirk Douglas
1992 Sidney Poitier
1993 Elizabeth Taylor
1994 Jack Nicholson
1995 Steven Spielberg
1996 Clint Eastwood
1997 Martin Scorsese
1998 Robert Wise
1999 Dustin Hoffman
2000 Harrison Ford
2001 Barbra Streisand
2002 Tom Hanks
2003 Robert De Niro
2004 Meryl Streep
2005 George Lucas
2006 Sean Connery
2007 Al Pacino
2008 Warren Beatty
2009 Michael Douglas

Los Angeles, CA, September 16, 2009—AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi announces 12 films that will screen at this year’s Festival (October 30-November 7) including Lee Daniels’ PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE, Werner Herzog’s THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS and Bong Joon-ho’s MOTHER.

The film festival, which will debut it’s groundbreaking “See a Film on Us” initiative featuring complimentary tickets to all films including a limited number of seats at each Gala Presentation, will be headquartered at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel between October 30 and November 5. AFI FEST will then move to Santa Monica for the final two days of screenings presented in association with the American Film Market (AFM).

Lee Daniels’ PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE is the first announced Gala Presentation at this year’s AFI FEST. Set in 1980’s Harlem, the film tells a story of salvation through education against all odds as it follows the hopeful trajectory of ‘Claireece Precious Jones (played by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe), an overweight and illiterate teen pregnant with her second child and abused by her poisonously angry mother. The film also stars Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sheri Shepherd and Lenny Kravitz. PRECIOUS will be released by Lionsgate on November 6.

AFI FEST 2009 will also mark the return of Werner Herzog to the Festival after Herzog’s celebrated panel appearance two years ago. Herzog’s THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS is a loosely interpreted re-imagining of Abel Ferrara’s gritty classic starring Nicolas Cage as a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is to scoring drugs. Complicating his tumultuous life is the prostitute he loves (played by Eva Mendes). The film also stars Val Kilmer.

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Applications for the 2010-2011 AFI Conservatory Film program will be available beginning August 24, 2009. Forms can be downloaded here or a copy of the 2010-2011  AFIC catalog can be sent to you via U.S. mail, as soon as it becomes available.  The next application deadline, for the 2010-2011 academic year, will be December 1, 2009.

Conservatory catalogs may be requested at catalogrequests@afi.com.

If you have questions about the application process or about any of the AFI Conservatory’s specialized programs, contact the Admissions Office at 323.856.7628. You may also inquire via email at admissions@AFI.com.

Reminder: Since July 15th, all disciplines for the AFI Conservatory 2009 – 2010 academic year are now closed. Any application packets received after this date will be returned to the applicant.

John Hughes, 1950-2009

Remember acclaimed film director, producer and writer John Hughes with these podcasts from 1985, part of the Harold Lloyd Master Seminar series at the AFI Conservatory. Hughes, who created beloved comedies like SIXTEEN CANDLES, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION and HOME ALONE, tells of his early struggles to bring his work to the screen.

Hughes died on August 6, 2009, in New York City from a heart attack.

Listen to the podcasts here.

Los Angeles, July 27, Judd Apatow Q&A at the AFI Director's Screening of FUNNY PEOPLE

Writer/director Judd Apatow (THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP) has shown that nothing–not even losing your virginity or the miracle of childbirth–is sacred. About his third film behind the camera, he says, “I’m trying to make a very serious movie that is twice as funny as my other movies. Wish me luck!” Adam Sandler, Eric Bana, Jason Schwartzman, RZA and newcomers Aubrey Plaza and Aziz Ansari join a cast that reunites Judd Apatow with Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill in a story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience.

Click here for the entire Q&A with Judd Apatow and moderator Ben Lyons (At The Movies and E! Networks).

More Judd Apatow at the AFI AWARDS 2007

More video at AFI.com/video

From the YouTube API Blog:

Attention film buffs!

The American Film Institute (AFI) just launched a new video portal on AFI.com featuring hundreds of videos from its vast archives. AFI is utilizing YouTube’s APIs in order to stream videos directly from AFI’s YouTube channel, as well as other great clips curated from YouTube. In addition to accessing the video content, users can post comments on the AFI.com video site as well as embed the videos on other sites, blogs and social networking pages.

The collection will be regularly augmented with videos selected from the AFI Archive, which contains 10,000 hours of material produced during AFI’s 42-year history, much of which has never been seen by the general public. Be sure not to miss great clips such as “Alfred Hitchcock On Mastering Cinematic Tension” or “Steven Spielberg: The Toughest Thing For A Director”.

We’re thrilled that the YouTube APIs can help unlock such amazing material. Nice work, AFI!

See the post here.

AFI asked its members which film they would select as the best of Michael Douglas’ long career and the results are in.

#1 Wall Street (1987)

2. The American President (1995)

3. Romancing the Stone (1984)

4. Wonder Boys (2000)

5. Fatal Attraction (1987)

For the rest of the results click here.

Voting is now closed, but to see the original post click here.