AFI AWARDS 2007 Salutes Film and Television

AFI AWARDS 2007 Salutes Film and Television

George Clooney, Javier Bardem, Alec Baldwin and Julian Schnabel Among Guests at Annual Celebration of AFI Almanac

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Alec Baldwin, Julian Schnabel, Josh Brolin, Allison Janney, Jason Bateman 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 2007 luncheon sponsored by Hewlett-Packard.

Additionally celebrated was HP's creation of 20 scholarships to the AFI Conservatory, one for each of the AFI honorees. The AFI Conservatory is world-renowned for its advanced training of the next generation of storytellers.

This is the eighth 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-including those both in front of and behind the camera.

The creative community came together today at the Four Seasons Hotel for the luncheon. Among the principal cast members were: Hal Holbrook (INTO THE WILD); Allison Janney, Jason Bateman, JK Simmons (JUNO); Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Martin Starr (KNOCKED UP); George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson (MICHAEL CLAYTON); Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN); Michael C. Hall (DEXTER); Tichina Arnold, Terry Crews, Tequan Richmond (EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS); Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS); Ray Abruzzo (SOPRANOS); Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks (MAD MEN); Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Swoosie Kurtz (PUSHING DAISIES); Ally Walker, Tim DeKay, Sonya Walger, Adam Scott (TELL ME YOU LOVE ME); Alec Baldwin, Jack McBrayer (30 ROCK).

Among acclaimed directors present were: Julian Schnabel (DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY); Jason Reitman (JUNO); Judd Apatow (KNOCKED UP); Tony Gilroy (MICHAEL CLAYTON); Brad Bird (RATATOUILLE); Tamara Jenkins (THE SAVAGES); Paul Thomas Anderson (THERE WILL BE BLOOD); Barry Sonnenfeld (PUSHING DAISIES).

Acclaimed writer/director Frank Pierson (DOG DAY AFTERNOON, COOL HAND LUKE) was greeted with a standing ovation as he closed the event with an eloquent benediction drawing on stories from his early days in Hollywood. Comparing the event to the early pre-television days of the Academy Awards, he saluted the "endless well of stories."

Also among the guests were members of the AFI Board of Trustees, AFI AWARDS jurors and longtime supporters of the institute including: David Ansen; Jon Avnet; John F. Cooke; Robert A. Daly; Carolyn Farb; Jean Picker Firstenberg; Richard Frank; Marshall Herskovitz; Charles W. Fries; Lawrence Kasdan; Suzanne Lloyd; Leonard Maltin; Diana Ossana; Vivian Sobchack and Ed Zwick.

Leonard Maltin from the AFI Jury for Motion Pictures and Rich Frank, chair, AFI Jury for Television entered the jury rationales into the almanac by reading them as scenes from the films and TV programs were presented. Announced for the first time today, the complete rationales can be found at http://www.afi.com/.

Bob Gazzale, AFI's President and CEO, congratulated the creative ensembles as a whole from each of the 10 films and 10 television programs selected (listed below and previously announced on December 16, 2007).

The official selections are listed below in alphabetical order:

AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR-OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
INTO THE WILD
JUNO
KNOCKED UP
MICHAEL CLAYTON
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
RATATOUILLE
THE SAVAGES
THERE WILL BE BLOOD

AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR-OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

DEXTER
EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
LONGFORD
MAD MEN
PUSHING DAISIES
THE SOPRANOS
TELL ME YOU LOVE ME
30 ROCK
UGLY BETTY

About the American Film Institute

AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: American Film Institute

CONTACT: Alison Deknatel, +1-323-856-7896, adeknatel@AFI.com, or Amy
Kruse, +1-323-856-7603, akruse@AFI.com, both of American Film Institute

Web site:

http://www.afi.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: EVENT PHOTOS are available through Getty Images at http://www.gettyimages.com.

Additional event photos will be available from AFI following the luncheon at http://www.afi.com/about/press/index.asp

VIDEO FOOTAGE WILL BE PROVIDED DIRECTLY BY AFI available at http://www.wireimage.com (please click on the video tab). Video footage and images are also available through Image.net by Getty Images. To register: 1. Log on to http://www.image.net and click on 'register' 2. Fill in the registration form (takes about 2 minutes) 3. When asked for a referral code, enter "6560" For assistance, call Image.net's toll free 24-hour help line at 1.888.373.1500. JURY RATIONALES for each selection were announced at the luncheon. The complete rationales for all of the selections will be available at AFI.com by 5:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. PST). MORE ABOUT AFI AWARDS 2007: Please find the full announcement including the 2007 top film and TV programs, the jury members and the AFI Moments of Significance at: http://www.afi.com/tvevents/afiawards07/default.aspx

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