Overview

• Francis Ford Coppola received the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award at a gala held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 26, 2025.
• Steven Spielberg and George Lucas presented the award, calling Coppola 'fearless' and praising 'The Godfather' as 'the greatest American film ever made.'
• Tributes came from actors such as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, and Adam Driver, who credited Coppola for shaping their careers and championing artistic integrity.
• Coppola reflected on his career and community in his acceptance speech, describing the honor as a homecoming and emphasizing his identity as part of a creative family.
• The ceremony will be broadcast as a televised special on TNT in June, with an encore airing on TCM in July, extending the celebration to a wider audience.