American Film Institute Announces AFI Awards 2014 Official Selections

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Tuesday, 09 December 2014 04:17

Written by AFI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, LOS ANGELES, CA, December 8, 2014 – The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the official selections of AFI AWARDS 2014 – 11 outstanding films and 10 outstanding television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of the year's most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. This is the first time in AFI AWARDS history that the voting procedure – including tiebreakers – has resulted in the inclusion of 11 motion picture honorees.

An almanac documenting works of excellence that mark a moment in time, AFI AWARDS is also the only national honor for the community's creative teams as a whole, acknowledging the collaborative nature of the art form. With no winners or losers, 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.

"We celebrate these films and television programs as more than just milestones in a year of excellence." said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. "They are a part of our American cultural heritage – collectively, a new chapter in the story of the art form and of our nation."

Marking the 15th chapter in the American Film Institute's ongoing chronicle of the moving image in the 21st century, the 2014 entries join a notable pantheon of previous AFI honorees – works of significance that not only contribute to the rich cultural legacy, but also define the state of the art form. View the complete almanac here.

AFI AWARDS selections are made through a jury process in which AFI Trustees, scholars, film and television artists and critics determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as provide a contextual rationale for each selection.

This year's juries – one for film and one for television – were chaired by producers and AFI Board of Trustees Vice Chairs Tom Pollock (former Vice Chairman of MCA, Chairman of Universal Pictures) for the movies and Rich Frank (former Chairman of Walt Disney Television, President of Walt Disney Studios, President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) for television, and includes award-winning artists such as Anne Garefino (AFI Class of 1988), Vince Gilligan, Marshall Herskovitz (AFI Class of 1975), Patty Jenkins (AFI Class of 2000), Kasi Lemmons, Matthew Libatique (AFI Class of 1992) and Phylicia Rashad; film historian Leonard Maltin; renowned authors and scholars from prestigious universities with recognized motion picture arts programs; AFI Board of Trustees; and critics from leading media outlets such as The Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, TIME, TV Guide, USA Today and more.

In a non-competitive atmosphere, honorees gather for recognition at the annual AFI AWARDS private luncheon on January 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA – an event favored by the entertainment community for its informal intimacy and its inclusive acknowledgement of excellence. Press coverage of the AFI Awards luncheon is strictly by invitation only. Photos will be available online through AFI immediately following the event – and AFI will additionally reveal the Jury rationales, providing artistic and cultural context for the selection of the respective honorees.

About the American Film Institute
AFI is America's promise to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive, which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film; AFI AWARDS, honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year; AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies television events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI FEST presented by Audi, AFI DOCS and theAFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; and educating the next generation of storytellers at the world renowned AFI Conservatory. For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI attwitter.com/AmericanFilm, facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute and youtube.com/AFI.