AFI AWARDS 2019
AFI AWARDS celebrate the year’s most outstanding achievements in the art of the moving image — with 10 films and 10 television programs deemed culturally and artistically significant.
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducer AFI Board of Trustees
John Amos
Actor
Aymar Jean Christian
Northwestern University
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Lesli Linka Glatter
Director/Producer
L.S. Kim
University of California, Santa Cruz
Debra Lee
AFI Board of Trustees
Mary McNamara
The Los Angeles Times
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Maureen Ryan
Critic/Journalist
Ellen Seiter
University of Southern California
Betty Thomas
Actor/Director/Producer
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducer AFI Board of Trustees
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Renee Graham
The Boston Globe
Mark Harris
Historian
Ann Hornaday
The Washington Post
Annette Insdorf
Historian
Callie Khouri
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Delroy Lindo
Actor/Producer
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Amy Nicholson
NPR
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Courtney B. Vance
Actor/Producer
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Sonia Saraiya
Vanity Fair
Maureen Ryan
Critic/Journalist
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Mary McNamara
The Los Angeles Times
Debra Lee
AFI Board of Trustees
L.S. Kim
University of California, Santa Cruz
Ernest Dickerson
Director/Cinematographer
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
David Benioff
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Paris Barclay
Director/Producer
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Alfre Woodard
Actor/Producer
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
Claudia Puig
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Amy Nicholson
NPR
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Lisa Kennedy
The Denver Post
Ann Hornaday
The Washington Post
Mark Harris
Historian
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Joan Chen
Actor/Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Janet Staiger
University of Texas, Austin
Maureen Ryan
Variety
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Mary McNamara
The Los Angeles Times
Debra Lee
BET Networks AFI Board of Trustees
L.S. Kim
University of California, Santa Cruz
Jennifer Getzinger
Director
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Gabrielle Carteris
SAG-AFTRAAFI Board of Trustees
David Bianculli
NPR
Paris Barclay
Director/Producer
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
Amy Nicholson
NPR
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Lisa Kennedy
The Denver Post
Ann Hornaday
The Washington Post
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Jamie Lee Curtis
Actor/Director/Producer
Jay Cassidy
Editor
Halle Berry
Actor/ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Judd Apatow*
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducer AFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Diane English
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Maureen Ryan
Variety
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Mary McNamara
The Los Angeles Times
Lori McCreary
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Debra Lee
BET NetworksAFI Board of Trustees
Michelle King
Screenwriter/Producer
L.S. Kim
University of California, Santa Cruz
Darnell Hunt
University of California, Los Angeles
Jon Hamm
Actor/Director/Producer
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
Patricia Riggen
Director
Amy Nicholson
MTV News
Rachel Morrison
Cinematographer
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Lisa Kennedy
The Denver Post
Mark Harris
Historian
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Robert Benton
Director/Screenwriter
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Elizabeth Banks
Actor/Director/Producer
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Michael Wright
DreamWorks StudiosAFI Board of Trustees
Matt Williams
Screenwriter/Producer
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Renee Tajima-Peña
Director/ProducerUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Ellen Seiter
University of Southern California
Maureen Ryan
Variety
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Mary McNamara
The Los Angeles Times
Michelle MacLaren
Director/Producer
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Harvard University
Neal Baer
Screenwriter/ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
Emma Thomas
Producer
John Ridley
Director/Screenwriter
Carrie Rickey
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Bennett Miller
Director
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Lisa Kennedy
The Denver Post
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Molly Haskell
Historian
Mark Harris
Historian
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Michael Wright
Michael WrightAFI Board of Trustees
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Chris Silbermann
ICM PartnersAFI Board of Trustees
Ellen Seiter
University of Southern California
Maureen Ryan
The Huffington Post
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Phylicia Rashad
Actor
James Poniewozik
TIME
L.S. Kim
University of California, Santa Cruz
Vince Gilligan
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Anne Garefino
Producer
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone Magazine
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Matthew Libatique
Cinematographer
Kasi Lemmons
Director/Actor
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post
Patty Jenkins
Director/Screenwriter
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Mark Harris
Historian
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Noah Wyle
Producer/Actor
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Chris Silbermann
ICM PartnersAFI Board of Trustees
Ellen Seiter
University of Southern California
Maureen Ryan
The Huffington Post
Matt Roush
TV Guide Magazine
Frederick S. Pierce
AFI Board of Trustees
Jeff Nunokawa
Princeton University
Melissa Maerz
Entertainment Weekly
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Dorothy Fontana
ScreenwriterSenior Lecturer, AFI Conservatory
Jon Avnet
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone Magazine
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Nancy Meyers
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Lisa Kennedy
The Denver Post
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Mark Harris
Entertainment Weekly
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Roman Coppola
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Anne V. Coates
Editor
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Janet Staiger
University of Texas at Austin
Chris Silbermann
International Creative ManagementAFI Board of Trustees
Katey Sagal
Maureen Ryan
The Huffington Post
Matt Roush
TV Guide Magazine
James Poniewozik
Time Magazine
Mary McNamara
Los Angeles Times
L.S. Kim
University of California, Los Angeles
Marta Kauffman
Producer/Screenwriter
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Chris Carter
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone Magazine
Octavia Spencer
Actor
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Leonard Maltin
"Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide"
Lisa Kennedy
The Denver Post
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Mark Harris
Entertainment Weekly
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Brad Bird
Director/Screenwriter
Angela Bassett
Actor
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Ken Tucker
Entertainment Weekly
Betsy Thomas
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Chris Silbermann
International Creative ManagementAFI Board of Trustees
Matt Roush
TV Guide Magazine
James Poniewozik
Time Magazine
Fred Pierce
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Janet Murray
Georgia Institute of Technology
Stephen Kronish
Producer/Screenwriter
Marde Gregory
University of California, Los Angeles
Tim Goodman
The Hollywood Reporter
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Anna Everett
University of California, Santa Barbara
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone Magazine
Suzanne Todd
Producer
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Diana Ossana
Producer/Screenwriter
Leonard Maltin
"Leonard Maltln's Movie Guide"
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Jim Hosney
Jim Hosney
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Mark Harris
Entertainment Weekly
Whoopi Goldberg
Actor
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom PollockProducerChair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Janet Staiger
University of Texas at Austin
John Shaffner
Academy of Television Arts & SciencesProduction DesignerAFI Board of Trustees
Maureen Ryan
AOL
Matt Roush
TV Guide Magazine
James Poniewozik
Time Magazine
Mary McNamara
Los Angeles Times
Anna McCarthy
New York University
Henry Jenkins
Henry Jenkins
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Producer/Actor
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Steven Bochco
Producer/Screenwriter
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Michael Wood
Princeton University
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Elvis Mitchell
THE TREATMENT
Leonard Maltin
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT"Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide"
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Jane Gaines
Columbia University
Lee Daniels
Producer/Director
Diablo Cody
Producer/Screenwriter
Donn Cambern
Editor
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan University
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Robert J. Thompson
Syracuse University
John Shaffner
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Ellen Seiter
University of Southern California
Maureen Ryan
Chicago Tribune
Matt Roush
TV Guide Magazine
CCH Pounder
Actor
Lisa Parks
University of California, Santa Barbara
David Milch
Producer/Screenwriter
Brian Lowry
Variety
L.S. Kim
University of California, Santa Cruz
Bambi Haggins
Arizona State University
Stanley Brooks
Producer
Neal Baer
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionProducer/Screenwriter
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Richard Schickel
Historian/Author/Documentary Filmmaker
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Chon Noriega
University of California, Los Angeles
Elvis Mitchell
THE TREATMENT
Leonard Maltin
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Patty Jenkins
Producer/Director
Mark Harris
Entertainment Weekly/New York MagazineAuthor
Leo Braudy
University of Southern California
Dustin Lance Black
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Sean Astin
Actor
Norman Jewison
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducer/Director
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Tony To
Producer/Director
Beretta E. Smith-Shomade
University of Arizona
John Shaffner
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Ellen Seiter
University of Southern California
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Del Reisman
AFI Conservatory Screenwriter
James Poniewozik
Time Magazine
Kathleen Nolan
Actor
Mary McNamara
Los Angeles Times
Jean Picker Firstenberg
AFI President Emerita
John Caldwell
University of California, Los Angeles
Neal Baer
Producer/Screenwriter
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionAFI Trustee Emeritus
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Robert Towne
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Anne Thompson
Variety
Vivian Sobchack
AFI Trustee EmeritaUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Richard Schickel
Time Magazine
Daniel Petrie, Jr.
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Elvis Mitchell
THE TREATMENT
Rick Jewell
University of Southern California
Jim Hosney
American Film Institute
Mark Harris
Entertainment WeeklyAuthor
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan University
Leonard Maltin
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Rich Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionAFI Board of Trustees
Dick Askin
Academy of Television Arts & SciencesAFI Board of Trustees
Neal Baer
Producer/Screenwriter
Anna Everett
University of California, Santa Barbara
Nancy Franklin
The New Yorker
Barry Garron
The Hollywood Reporter
Melissa Gilbert
Producer/Director/ActorAFI Trustee Emerita
Horace Newcomb
University of Georgia
Del Reisman
AFI ConservatoryScreenwriter
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Maureen Ryan
Chicago Tribune
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Ron Underwood
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Kristal Brent Zook
Hosftra University
Gary Winick
Producer/Director
Richard Schickel
Time Magazine
Tom Pollock
AFI Board of Trustees
David Picker
ProducerAFI Trustee Emeritus
Diana Ossana
Producer/Screenwriter/Novelist
Tara McPherson
University of Southern California
Leonard Maltin
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Lawrence Kasdan
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Trustee Emeritus
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Donn Cambern
AFI ConservatoryDirector/Editor
David Ansen
Newsweek
Frank Pierson
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesAFI ConservatoryDirector/Screenwriter
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Dick Askin
Academy of Television Arts & SciencesAFI Board of Trustees
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionAFI Board of Trustees
Steven Bochco
Producer/Screenwriter
Kevin S. Bright
Producer/Director
Paul Brownfield
Los Angeles Times
Michael Dinner
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Barry Garron
The Hollywood Reporter
Amanda D. Lotz
University of Michigan
Brian Lowry
Variety
Tara McPherson
University of Southern California
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Vivian Sobchack
University of California, Los AngelesAFI Board of Trustees
Kristal Brent Zook
Columbia University
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Robert G. Rehme
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Michael Apted
Directors Guild of AmericaProducer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Roger Birnbaum
Spyglass EntertainmentAFI Board of Trustees
Leo Braudy
University of Southern California
James L. Brooks
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Jane Gaines
Duke University
Elvis Mitchell
National Public Radio
Diana Ossana
Producer/Screenwriter
David V. Picker
ProducerAFI Trustee Emeritus
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Anne Thompson
The Hollywood Reporter
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Marshall Herskovitz
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionChair, AFI Jury for TelevisionAFI Board of Trustees
Dick Askin
Academy of Television Arts & SciencesTribune Entertainment CompanyAFI Board of Trustees
Lionel Chetwynd
Producer/Screenwriter
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Tony Jonas
Producer
Jeffrey Kramer
Producer
Melanie McFarland
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Tara McPherson
University of Southern California
Dorothea Petrie
Producer
James Poniewozik
Time Magazine
Del Reisman
AFI Conservatory
Matt Roush
TV Guide
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Robert G. Rehme
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures Producer AFI Board of Trustees
Martha Coolidge
Director
David Denby
The New Yorker
Anna Everett
University of California, Santa Barbara
Norman Jewison
Producer/Director
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Jay Roach
Producer/Director
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Vivian Sobchack
University of California, Los AngelesAFI Board of Trustees
David Thomson
Film Historian
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
Stephen Ujlaki
San Francisco State University
Laura Ziskin
Laura Ziskin
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionThe FirmAFI Board of Trustees
Richard Askin, Jr.
Academy of Television Arts & SciencesTribune Entertainment Company AFI Board of Trustees
Neal Baer
Producer/Screenwriter
David Bianculli
The Daily News
Alex Ben Block
Television Week
Barbara Corday
Producer/Screenwriter
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Melanie McFarland
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Tara McPherson
University of Southern California
Janet Murray
Georgia Institute of TechnologyAFI Board of Trustees
Horace Newcomb
University of GeorgiaGeorge Foster Peabody Awards
Jerry Offsay
Producer
Matt Roush
TV Guide
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Roger Ebert
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesChicago Sun-TimesEBERT & ROEPER
David Ansen
Newsweek
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Trustee Emerita
Leo Braudy
University of Southern California
James Cromwell
Actor
Naomi Foner
Producer/Screenwriter
Joan Micklin Silver
Director/Screenwriter
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Robert G. Rehme
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Richard Schickel
Time MagazineProducer/Director/Screenwriter
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Michael Wood
Princeton University
Janet Yang
Producer
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Diane Werts
Newsday
Dean Valentine
Former President & CEO, UPN
Penelope Spheeris
Director
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Dorothea Petrie
Producer
Horace Newcomb
University of GeorgiaGeorge Foster Peabody Awards
Brian Lowry
Variety
Helaine Head
University of Southern California
Ted Harbert
Producer
Chuck Fries
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Mary Corey
University of California, Los Angeles
Irby Brown
University of Richmond
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for TelevisionIntegrated Entertainment PartnersAFI Board of Trustees
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Anne V. Coates
Editor
Vivian Sobchack
University of California, Los AngelesAFI Board of Trustees
Leonard Schrader
AFI ConservatoryDirector/Screenwriter
Richard Schickel
Time MagazineProducer/Director/Screenwriter
Ted Perry
Middlebury CollegeAFI Trustee Emeritus
Curtis Marez
University of Southern California
Glenn Kenny
Premiere Magazine
Kirk Honeycutt
The Hollywood Reporter
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan UniversityAFI Trustee Emerita
John Badham
Director
Leonard Maltin
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Richard Frank
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Neema Barnett
Director
Barbara Corday
Producer
Lesli Linka Glatter
Producer/Director
Kay McFadden
The Seattle Times
Horace Newcomb
University of GeorgiaGeorge Foster Peabody AwardsAFI Trustee Emeritus
Daniel Petrie, Jr.
Producer/Director/ScreenwriteAFI Board of Trustees
Victoria Riskin
Writers Guild of AmericaScreenwriter
Matt Roush
TV Guide
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Anthony Thomopoulos
Former President, ABC EntertainmentMedia Arts Group, Inc.AFI Trustee Emeritus
Ken Tucker
Entertainment Weekly
Peter Werner
DirectorAFI Trustee Emeritus
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom Pollock
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
David Ansen
Newsweek
Jeanine Basinger
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion PicturesWesleyan UniversityAFI Trustee Emerita
Julie Dash
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Lindsey Doran
Producer
Leonard Maltin
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Fay Kanin
ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Jim Hosney
Film Historian/Scholar
Ted Perry
Middlebury CollegeAFI Trustee Emeritus
Bob Rehme
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Carrie Rickey
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Tom Schatz
University of Texas, Austin
Saul Zaentz
Producer
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
Barrie Lawson Loeks
Loeks-Star Theatres
Lucy Liu
Actor
Brian Lowry
Los Angeles Times
Sidney Lumet
Director
Shirley MacLaine
Actor
Delbert Mann
Director
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Kay McFadden
The Seattle Times
Joyce Millman
Salon.com
Dennis Muren
Digital Effects Artist
Chon Noriega
University of California, Los Angeles
Beverly O’Neill
California Institute of the Arts
Ted Perry
Middlebury College
Polly Platt
Producer/Production Designer
Dale Pollock
N.C. School of the Arts
Dorothy Rabinowitz
The Wall Street Journal
Peter Rainer
New York Magazine
Ken Ralston
Digital Effects Artist
Robert Richardson
Cinematographer
Howard Rosenberg
Los Angeles Times
Laurence Rosenthal
Composer
Gena Rowlands
Actor
Leah Rozen
People Magazine
Eva Marie Saint
Actor
Edgar Scherick
Producer
Lisa Schwartzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Jan Scott
Production Designer
John Singleton
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Robert Sklar
New York University
Barbara Smith
American Cinematheque
Penelope Spheeris
Director
Steven Spielberg
Producer/Director/ScreenwriterAFI Board of Trustees
Rod Steiger
Actor
Jon Storm
Philadelphia Inquirer
Mary Sweeney
Producer/Screenwriter/Editor
Anne Thompson
Premiere Magazine
Richard Sylbert
Production Designer
Robert Thompson
Syracuse University
Steve Tisch
Producer
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles TimesCinematographer
Amy Vincent
Cinematographer
Peter Werner
Director
Joanne Weintraub
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
Ethel Winant
Producer
David Wolper
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Eugenio Zanetti
Production Designer
David Zurawik
Baltimore Sun
Hans Zimmer
Composer
Saul Zaentz
Producer
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Debbie Allen
Producer/Director/ActorAFI Board of Trustees
David Ansen
Newsweek
Dede Allen
Editor
Darren Aronofsky
Director/Screenwriter
Alan Ball
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Neema Barnette
Director
Ron Bass
Producer/Screenwriter
Robert Benton
Director/Screenwriter
Bob Boyle
Production Designer
Pieter Jan Brugge
Producer
Henry Bumstead
Production Designer
Michelle Byrd
Independent Features Project
Marcy Carsey
Producer
Mary Schmidt Campbell
NYU's Tisch School
Anne V. Coates
Editor
Richard Corliss
Time Magazine
Leslie Dilley
Production Designer
Richard Edlund
Digital Effects Artist
Nora Ephron
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Steven Farber
Movieline
Milos Forman
Director
Stephen Gaghan
Screenwriter
Leslie Linka Glatter
Director
Jerry Goldsmith
Composer
Gary David Goldberg
Producer/Screenwriter
Tim Goodman
San Francisco Examiner
Mary Ann Grasso
National Assoc. of Theatre Owners
Christopher Guest
Director/Screenwriter/Actor
Amy Heckerling
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Leonard Hill
Producer
Foster Hirsch
Scholar/Historian
Tina Hirsch
Editor
Winnie Holzman
Producer/Screenwriter
Kirk Honeycutt
The Hollywood Reporter
Dawn Hudson
Independent Feature Project West
Greg Hoblit
Producer/Director
Annette Insdorf
Columbia University
Mark Johnson
Producer
Shirley Jones
Actor
Spike Jonze
Director/Actor
Glenn Jordan
Producer/Director
Janusz Kamiński
Cinematographer
James Katz
Preservationist
Rita Kempley
The Washington Post
Kathleen Kennedy
ProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Callie Khouri
Screenwriter
James V. Kimsey
AFI Board of Trustees
Arnold Kopelson
Producer
Alan Ladd, Jr.
Producer
Martin Landau
Actor
AFI JURY FOR TELEVISION
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI 2000 JuryAFI Board of Trustees
David Ansen
Film Journalist/Critic
Jeanine Basinger
Film Scholar
Bill Duke
AFI Board of Trustees
James Katz
Film Preservationist/Historian
Rita Kempley
Film Journalist/Critic
Michael Nesmith
AFI Board of Trustees
Thomas Schatz
Film Scholar
Vivian Sobchack
AFI Board of Trustees
Anne Thompson
Film Journalist/Critic
Saul Zaentz
Filmmaker
Steven Zaillian
Filmmaker
AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR
1917
…marks a moment in the history of American cinema when the ever-evolving tools of the art form prove the perfect complement to the genius of its storytelling. Sam Mendes’ soaring tribute to heroism is both epic and intimate – a harrowing journey captured in the eyes of Roger Deakins’ single shot to immerse audiences like never before in a pulse-pounding experience. As the horrors of history recede in memory, it is experiences like this one that insist they not be forgotten.
THE FAREWELL
…embraces a clash of cultures in a modern family to celebrate the universal nature of our human experience. Writer/director Lulu Wang finds a rich vein of humor in the dark mines of mortality, a rare feat illuminated by the sparkling star turn of Awkwafina, whose performance looks to the future as a bond between East and West, comedy and drama, and generations young and old.
THE IRISHMAN
…appears as a miracle – confirming the canonization of Martin Scorsese as America’s cinematic saint. Timeless performances by Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci carry the tradition of anti-heroes into modern day as the glorified lives of gangsters smash head-first into the melancholy memory of friendship and fatherhood. THE IRISHMAN is the collaboration of a lifetime and an essential experience for movie lovers.
JOJO RABBIT
…pulls itself out of a hat – a cinematic magic trick of miraculous tonal mayhem. Taika Waititi’s über-unique masterwork finds a bold new way to show the horrors of World War II in moments at once insane and insightful. Roman Griffin Davis’ affecting performance as Jojo captures the awakening of childish ignorance to understanding the evil around him, serving as stark warning to adults everywhere.
JOKER
…smiles while your heart is breaking. Todd Phillips’ intoxicating take on Gotham’s clown prince ignited a global following by inspiring audiences to consider the mask we wear to conceal the volcanic anxiety in the world today. Joaquin Phoenix’s bravura performance is one for the ages – on the outside, exploding beyond the screen in a metamorphosis of balletic contortions – and on the inside, begging empathy for a madman as he dances down the steps of darkness.
KNIVES OUT
…simply slays – a modern “whodunit” pulsing with Hitchcockian thrills in this stylish staging of murder most foul. Reflecting the strata of society in a mirror crack’d, Rian Johnson’s dialogue and direction are so sharp that the film’s incisive cultural commentary cuts deep without leaving a mark. Daniel Craig plays equal parts suspicious and silly, gleefully abetted by a murderer’s row of top talent, each clearly relishing their roles in this deliciously deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
LITTLE WOMEN
…infuses a literary classic with new life – adapting Louisa May Alcott’s immortal words into a tale for our times. Greta Gerwig’s mastery of the material allows for her vision to soar while never straying from Alcott’s self-stated themes – “domesticity, work and true love.” This monumental achievement is brought to life by a creative ensemble of infinite talent, but the story belongs to Saoirse Ronan’s Jo March – a character that rises from the pages of the past to stand tall as a heroine for all genders and generations.
MARRIAGE STORY
…captures the intimately human journey of a not-so-civil war. Director Noah Baumbach’s blindingly brilliant writing navigates this emotionally complex tale of the heartbreaking power dynamics in marriage. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver’s raw performances stand toe-to-toe among the year’s best as they share a child and haircuts and a mutual admiration for what is good in each other – before unleashing fury as prizefighters locked in a bruising battle that asks what is love and what is law.
ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD
…is a cinematic journey through time that underscores the undying power of “happily ever after.” Quentin Tarantino’s mastery of image, sound and teeth-gritting tension lead to an ending that catalyzes a cultural catharsis, one winningly illuminated by Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt exude brilliance at maximum wattage in turns that capture the bounds of friendship, an actor’s desperate fight for relevance and the confidence that comes with knowing you’re a star.
RICHARD JEWELL
…is a uniquely American achievement from a uniquely American master. Clint Eastwood’s 38th feature film in the director’s chair finds him taking on two of our nation’s most powerful institutions – the government and the media – by telling the tale of an American hero. Paul Walter Hauser inhabits the soul of a flawed but big-hearted man who falls victim to an intemperate rush to judgment, and Kathy Bates and Sam Rockwell bring humanity to the fore as the film shines a clear light on fidelity, bravery and integrity.
AFI SPECIAL AWARD
PARASITE
…embeds itself in the collective consciousness and proves the power of cinema to assert universal truths across cultural borders. Bong Joon Ho’s brilliant entry in his growing global canon submerges an intense class commentary on the faces of his brilliant cast as tensions and waters rise in the sewers of South Korea. With incomparable skill, this genre-busting narrative ingeniously layers comedy, horror and pathos as it compels audiences to consider who earns our empathy when a dream becomes a scheme.
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
CHERNOBYL
…turns one of mankind’s darkest disasters into one of television’s brightest achievements. Craig Mazin’s harrowing narrative illustrates the power of television to expose a story known by few to a global audience affected by its horrors. Set against the backdrop of a 1980s Soviet Union recreated with glowing precision, this cautionary tale warns how unchecked lies can lead to human fallout on an unprecedented scale.
THE CROWN
…continues to sparkle with brilliance in its third year. Now, even more, the power of Peter Morgan’s sumptuous series echoes beyond the singular Queen, inviting audiences to consider how the humanity of the Royal Family is stifled by tradition – an unsentimental approach brought into sharp relief through engaging historical detail and the regal performances of Olivia Colman and her noble entourage.
FOSSE/VERDON
…struts into the spotlight with pizzazz worthy of Broadway’s brightest stars. Steven Levenson and Thomas Kail’s insightful look at the personal and professional relationship of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon asks “who is master?” and “who is muse?” This emotionally complex dance is fully explored through extraordinary performances by Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, who dazzle in a brilliant pas de deux that spins between love and betrayal, creation, destruction…and all that jazz.
GAME OF THRONES
…marches into history in its fiery finale – leaving behind a storytelling landscape forever changed. Across the years, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss set new standards for the crafts of television, overseeing an army of artists that collaborated to create worlds heretofore unimaginable – and this year, earning a permanent place on the throne as a defining cultural milestone for our time and for all time.
POSE
…sparkles in the limelight of its second year – glowing even brighter, loving ever more – for the family found at center stage. Raising the bar as it raises the roof, this vibrant series from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Steven Canals glitters with star turns from Billy Porter and a larger-than-life ensemble that celebrates the power of identity and the sanctity of self without excuses.
SUCCESSION
…calls upon the grand traditions of opera, Shakespeare and the tales of Olympus to expose today’s 1% as equal parts powerful and pathetic. Jesse Armstrong’s deliciously dark saga of family crackles with the clash of would-be titans, each stumbling to prove their killer instincts as they battle for their father’s approval. Brian Cox’s towering patriarch challenges audiences to cheer for his downfall – with a smile.
UNBELIEVABLE
…demands we believe. Susannah Grant’s complex procedural doubles as a primal scream on behalf of women whose stories of violation and assault have been ignored. Dogged detectives Toni Collette and Merritt Wever brilliantly embody the search for justice by casting doubt upon doubt, and Kaitlyn Dever’s bruising performance begs empathy for those caught in America’s shameful patterns of abuse.
VEEP
…exits the highest office of television comedy with an unimpeachable legacy – a brilliant, biting political satire and a maze of funhouse mirrors for today’s fractured politics. This tonic for our times is administered in rapid doses by an impeccable ensemble led by America’s first lady of comedy, the incomparable Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
WATCHMEN
…demonstrates the true superpower of modern mythologies – as masked heroes fight to expose ugly truths otherwise unrecognizable as American history. Damon Lindelof’s richly layered story tackles white supremacy with heroism that radically re-imagines right and wrong, while Regina King’s soaring presence as Sister Night is just the hero we’ve prayed for in a world gone mad.
WHEN THEY SEE US
…brings modern history to light – and demands it not repeat itself. Ava DuVernay’s epic chronicle of injustice digs deep beneath the headlines to illuminate the singularly human stories of the Central Park Five. In the eyes of this amazing acting ensemble, reflections of hope are lost in despair until exoneration years later. This is compelling, powerful storytelling that appeals to an American ideal of freedom for all.
AFI SPECIAL AWARD
FLEABAG
…smashes convention without a blush, inspiring lean-in laughter and lean-back gasps in equal measure. Rare is the moment to experience a supernova like creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, whose life-affirming confessional pulses with authenticity and an undeniable charisma that inspires audiences to embrace their own bawdy flaws and live vicariously through her broken, self-deprecating cool.
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SPONSORED BY
Each year, AFI AWARDS honors 10 outstanding films and 10 outstanding TV programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of the year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.
AFI AWARDS 2019 honorees will be announced in December 2019, with an invitation-only luncheon to follow on Friday, January 3, 2020.
Unique in its celebration of the film and television arts’ collaborative nature, AFI AWARDS is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole – recognizing those in front of and behind the camera.
AFI AWARDS was created in 2000 to recognize the films and television programs which contribute to our collective cultural legacy. When placed in an historical context, these stories provide a complex, rich, visual record of our modern world.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Honorees are selected based on works which:
- Best advance the art of the moving image
- Enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form
- Inspire audiences and artists alike
- And/or make a mark on American society
A UNIQUE JURY PROCESS
AFI AWARDS selections are made through AFI’s unique jury process – in which scholars, film and television artists, critics and AFI Trustees determine the most outstanding achievements of the year.
CELEBRATING THE HONOREES
With no winners or losers, honorees gather for recognition at the annual AFI AWARDS private luncheon for an informal, intimate and non-competitive acknowledgement of excellence. On the day of the luncheon, AFI reveals the Jury “rationales,” providing artistic and cultural context for the selection of the respective honorees.
For additional information about AFI AWARDS, contact Josh Kushins at jkushins@AFI.com.
AFI is a 501c3 non-profit advancing the art of the moving image by empowering storytellers and inspiring audiences
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