Legendary Director Francis Ford Coppola Receives AFI's Top Honour Of Life Achievement Award
The American Film Institute honored Francis Ford Coppola with its 50th Life Achievement Award. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas presented the award at the Dolby Theatre.
The American Film Institute (AFI) honored the extraordinary legacy of Francis Ford Coppola with its 50th Life Achievement Award. Held at the iconic Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the evening brought together Hollywood's finest to celebrate a filmmaker who helped define American cinema.
Francis Ford Coppola, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers in history, was met with resounding applause as he accepted the prestigious honor. A five-time Academy Award winner, Coppola's legendary career spans iconic films such as The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, and Bram Stoker's Dracula, each of which has left an indelible mark on cinema.
Filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas had the honour of presenting Coppola with the award.
According to Variety, Spielberg described Coppola as 'a warrior for independent artists," hailing The Godfather as 'the greatest American film ever made." Meanwhile, George Lucas, who regards Coppola as his hero, fondly recalled their enduring friendship and shared Coppola's timeless advice to 'not be afraid of jumping off cliffs," as quoted by Variety.
Coppola's illustrious filmography boasts timeless masterpieces such as The Godfather sequels, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, and Bram Stoker's Dracula. The ceremony was filled with heartfelt tributes from legendary actors like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and others, who shared how Coppola profoundly impacted their lives and careers.
In his acceptance speech, Coppola took a moment to reflect on cherished memories with friends and family, expressing heartfelt gratitude and forgiveness. With humility, he concluded, saying, 'I am and will always be nothing more than one of you."
Francis' most recent project, Megalopolis, marked a personal milestone as he self-financed the film with a budget of approximately $120 million. The star-studded cast featured Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Shia LaBeouf, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, and Jason Schwartzman. Despite the film's impressive lineup, it sadly underperformed at the box office.
First Published:
April 28, 2025, 07:41 IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
6 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Jacob Elordi reveals he skipped meals, sat overnight in makeup chair to transform into the creature in Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is one of the most anticipated films of the year. The adaptation will star Oscar Issac as Victor and Jacob Elordi as the Creature. Ahead of the film's release later this year, the actors sat down to talk about the film with Variety, where Jacob opened up about the process of transforming into the Creature, which demanded a total surrender from him. (Also read: 'This should have a wide theatrical release': Frankenstein trailer leaves fans wanting a big screen experience) Australian actor Jacob Elordi plays the Creature in Frankenstein. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP)(AFP) How Jacob transformed into the Creature During the interaction, Jacob shared that he would arrive at the makeup trailer as early as 10 p.m. on the previous day. He would stay up all night to undergo the time-consuming transformation into the Creature. During the free moments in between, Jacob would practice the unsteady walk and gestures of the Creature in front of the mirror in his hotel room. He said, "You throw time away when you make a film like this. I stopped having a clock, and I would just wait till the SUV arrived. That meant it was time to go. I didn't do breakfast, lunch or dinner, or think in terms of morning, afternoon, night. It was just one time.' Why Jacob was cast Guillermo also revealed that Jacob was the last cast member to join the film after Andrew Garfield dropped out before shooting was set to begin. The Academy Award-winning director said that Jacob was cast for his eyes, sharing that they were 'full of humanity.' The film also stars Mia Goth, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley and Charles Dance. The film's official logline reads, 'A brilliant but egotistical scientist brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation." Frankenstein will have a three-week theatrical release starting on October 17, before premiering on Netflix on November 7.
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ssshhh! Chess and the challenges of playing in front of a live audience
Magnus Carlsen and spectators at Freestyle Chess Las Vegas (Screengrab & Stev Bongage) NEW DELHI: Have you ever stepped into the playing hall of a chess tournament? The atmosphere feels almost sacred. A vast space, rows of tables stretching endlessly with chessboards and pieces in their eternal black-and-white standoff. Players sit hunched, brows furrowed, as though the weight of the world rests on each move. The hush is so thick that the softest tap on a clock echoes like a drumbeat. Such was the scene at a recent grandmaster chess tournament in the capital. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Big names were missing but there was no shortage of intensity. No audience is permitted once the play begins and only the media is allowed to have phones, strictly on silent mode. Even a murmur attracts the sharp glance of an arbiter and makes you think twice before opening the mouth again. Here, silence isn't just etiquette but the basic expectation. However, halfway across the world, a chess event unfolded in a completely different setting. In Las Vegas, at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, spectators were allowed to witness the action live for the first time last month. Fans in the arena had access to live commentary via headsets and the infamous evaluation bar on the screen fixed in front of the sitting area, while players donned noise-cancelling headphones to block the din. Spectators could listen to live commentary via headsets (Photo by Stev Bongage for Freestyle Chess) For the first time, checkmates-in-waiting and blunders-in-making were visible to the live audience. And they roared at every wrong move like at a boxing match. The drama thrilled audiences but riled players. American GM Fabiano Caruana, losing to his compatriot Hikaru Nakamura, fired quick shots. 'In the match, I started to get very annoyed at the whole tournament... Not to make excuses, but I mean, the spectators are basically just yelling when we have five seconds each. Hikaru was crushing me and then, he probably had some mating chances, but it wasn't easy. He had 5 seconds. He went back with the queen. I was back in the game. And around this moment there was just yelling, I mean like very loud yelling. I'm not exaggerating at all. It was just screaming in the audience and you can't play like that with five seconds,' he said. 'So we both blundered. I could basically have mated him and also won his queen on two different occasions. It just leaves a bad taste.' His frustration laid bare a problem chess hasn't yet solved: Can the game truly be played with a live audience? Just weeks back, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh won the Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia. But her biggest triumph happened in front of an empty hall, sans any live spectators. Even her family and Indian team officials were asked to leave because of FIDE's anti-cheating rules. 'If spectators make noise and all, I would not play as I would do when there are no spectators. I can understand it could be very disturbing,' GM Pranav V tells After Freestyle Chess, players at the 2025 eSports World Cup too wore noise-cancelling headphones. Yet, doubts remain over whether they can really work at the top level. 'I am not sure if these headphones can block everything. I feel chess is still not ready for live spectators now,' Pranav, now 18, added. 20-year-old Rohith Krishna S, who recently became India's 89th GM, feels time format could be the deciding factor. 'Yeah, I mean, as a spectator myself, I watch only some chess games. For example, I like (to watch) rapid games (more than any other formats),' he admitted. 'I feel chess can become (more spectator-friendly) like if they have the faster time controls like rapid and blitz, but the classical format may not be a spectator-friendly one because it's just too long.' And yet, the allure of chess as a spectator sport is undeniable as streaming platforms have brought millions of young fans into the fold, hungry for high-stakes drama, quick tactical fireworks and, yes, the emotional rollercoaster of a crowd reacting in real time. The catch? The very precision and poise that make grandmasters exceptional can crumble at the slightest distraction. Where even the drop of a pin can tilt concentration, how do you reconcile the monk-like demands of play with the carnival atmosphere fans crave? As GM Pranav summed it up bluntly: 'Chess is difficult to play with live audience.' Until it isn't, the silence of the hall may continue to be its truest soundtrack. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kim Tae-hee makes her Hollywood debut with 'Butterfly'; stuns at red carpet event
Butterfly starring Daniel Dae Kim, Rayna Hardesty, Kim Tae-hee, Kim Ji-hoon, Park Hae-soo, Sean Richards, Park Hae-soo Kim Tae-hee, a renowned South Korean actress and wife of singer Rain, captured attention on August 21, 2025, at a press conference held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul for the series 'Butterfly'. This event marked her first foray into Hollywood with a spy thriller adapted from a graphic novel, generating buzz among international audiences. During the gathering, Kim shared insights into her role, emphasizing how the project combines gripping suspense with personal emotional layers, making it a unique addition to her career that spans Korean dramas and now global productions. Stellar Cast and Intriguing Plot The series features Daniel Dae Kim as David Jung, a former U.S. intelligence agent hiding in South Korea, who becomes the target of a relentless assassin portrayed by Reina Hardesty. Kim Tae-hee takes on a crucial role that heightens the drama, supported by a talented ensemble including Park Hae-soo, Kim Ji-hoon, Sung Dong-il, and Lee Il-hwa. Shot in locations like Seoul and Busan, the narrative delves into themes of espionage, regret, and familial bonds, crafted by a team led by Korean-American producer Steph Cha and showrunner Ken Woodruff, ensuring a blend of high-octane action sequences and character-driven storytelling. Release Details and Viewer Anticipation 'Butterfly' launched globally on Prime Video, on August 13, 2025, rapidly ascending to the top of streaming charts as per internal rankings. In Korea, it becomes available through local channels and streaming services starting August 22, 2025, with episodes airing every Friday and Saturday.
