Francis Ford Coppola has been named as AFI’s 50th Life Achievement Award honoree, the institute revealed on Tuesday.
The “Megalopolis” director will receive his award at a gala tribute held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 26, 2025.
“Francis Ford Coppola is a peerless artist — one who has created seminal works in the canon of American film, and has also inspired generations of filmmakers who now embody his artistry and his independent spirit,” Kathleen Kennedy, chair of the AFI board of trustees said in a statement. “AFI is honored to present him with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.”
In addition to “Megalopolis,” Coppola is also known for being the filmmaker behind “The Godfather,” “The Godfather Part II,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Outsiders,” “The Godfather Part III” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” to name just a few. He has won five Oscars, six Golden Globes, two Palmes d’Ors out of Cannes and a BAFTA Award.
Other recent winners include Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Diane Keaton, John Williams, Steve Martin, Jane Fonda and Mel Brooks. The first Life Achievement Award went to John Ford in 1973.
The news of AFI’s highest honor comes just days after the 2024 AFI Fest wrapped in Los Angeles.