Clint Eastwood (GRAN TORINO) and Emile Hirsch (MILK) at the AFI AWARDS 2008 Luncheon.

LOS ANGELES, January 9, 2009—Clint Eastwood, Mickey Rourke, Ron Howard,
Frank Langella, Marisa Tomei, Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Taraji P. Henson,
Emile Hirsch 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 2008 luncheon sponsored by Hewlett-Packard.
Additionally celebrated was HP’s creation of scholarships to the world-renowned AFI
Conservatory, where the next generation of storytellers receive training.

This is the ninth year to record entries to AFI’s almanac of the 21st century, which
documents the year’s most outstanding achievements in 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 as well as “moments of significance” within the film and entertainment
community.

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LOS ANGELES, December 14, 2008—American Film Institute (AFI) today announced
the official selections of AFI AWARDS 2008, 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 Movies of the Year —Official Selections
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
FROZEN RIVER
GRAN TORINO
IRON MAN
MILK
WALL•E
WENDY AND LUCY
THE WRESTLER

AFI TV Programs of the Year – Official Selections
BREAKING BAD
IN TREATMENT
JOHN ADAMS
LIFE
LOST
MAD MEN
THE OFFICE
RECOUNT
THE SHIELD
THE WIRE

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.

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BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD is a film that races with the pulse of a young filmmaker, but is constructed with the depth and maturity of an American master at the top of his game. Sidney Lumet’s dark and intricate tale takes place in a world you will not want to enter, but the powerful screenplay by Kelly Masterson grabs you and won’t let go. The film is a grand opera of immorality and is staged exquisitely by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei and Albert Finney, whose performances fuse to form a diamond that sparkles with the dazzlement of dysfunction.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERLY is a soaring cinematic achievement, one where the transportive nature of film takes us inside the mind of a paralyzed protagonist. Director Julian Schnabel astounds in his fusion of poetry, humor and profound humanity to examine the struggle from inside the mind as the character reaches for the impossible. Janusz Kaminski’s brilliant cinematography illuminates the film’s commanding point of view, visually enveloping the audience in the deeply emotional, but remarkably unsentimental screenplay by Ronald Harwood. Adapted from an extraordinary true story, the film challenges us to look into a mirror, appreciate the fragility of our own lives and marvel at the power of the mind.

INTO THE WILD is a vast journey across America – and deep inside oneself. Writer/director Sean Penn’s sensitive adaptation and expansive direction brilliantly captures the exuberance and idealism of youth – and the danger of pushing love away. The story lives in the eyes of Emile Hirsch, the warm smile of Catherine Keener, and the luminous spirit of Hal Holbrook. INTO THE WILD celebrates the dreamer in all of us – and the danger of dreaming alone.

Deep inside JUNO is the tiny but true heartbeat of American film. Director Jason Reitman has an extraordinary control of tone, shifting sympathies and a clear respect for the fully realized characters created by screenwriter Diablo Cody. The result is a surprise in almost every scene as clichés are upended and life is celebrated at every turn. Ellen Page delivers the breakthrough performance of the year – one that embodies the comedy inherent in being a misfit and the strength that comes when facing life’s biggest challenges.

KNOCKED UP delivers the funniest, freshest comedy of the year. Writer/director Judd Apatow stretches the boundaries of romantic comedies by introducing one of American film’s most unlikely pairings, and then brilliantly crafts a story where moment by moment, laugh by laugh – the couple embrace each other – and the audience – in a world of humor and heart. The film marks a star turn for Katherine Heigl, who lights up the screen with every smile.

MICHAEL CLAYTON is pulse-quickening entertainment for both the heart and mind. Driven by a screenplay that ranks among the finest in American film, Tony Gilroy’s film astounds at every turn – each word, each scene resonating beyond their literal meanings. George Clooney shines as one of the great actors of his generation, adding a dimension to his movie star persona that harkens back to the classic roles of Humphrey Bogart – still and silent, dark and deep. Extraordinary supporting roles by Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton add humor and horror to the riddles posed throughout the plot, and when the answers begin to arrive, no one is safe at the film’s surprising and spectacularly satisfying end.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN breathes new life – and death – into the classic American western. Joel and Ethan Coen construct the film like a steel trap, one that springs and snaps with a ferocity seldom seen in the movies. The film features a killer combination of acting talent – Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem, who creates and then unleashes one of the great screen villains of our time. Driven by heart-stopping tension and pacing, the Coen Brothers’ masterful juxtaposition of savagery and innocence is a powerful tale of morality in a bleak world where a life can end with the flip of a coin.

RATATOUILLE is a soaring, sumptuous feast for all who love the movies. Writer/director Brad Bird continues to define himself as one of the great filmmakers of our generation, this time with the inspiring tale of a rat who aspires to be a chef. This animated gem creates environments that are so fully realized, so rich with detail, that both young and old alike will feel as though their passports have been stamped and their palates sated. At the film’s significant heart, is the relationship of artist and critic – and to celebrate their union here, AFI raises a glass of a fine French cabernet to RATATOUILLE.