Al Pacino to Get an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award

On June 7, 2007, the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, the highest honor given for a career in film, will be presented to Al Pacino at a gala Los Angeles tribute.

In the announcement from AFI's Board of Trustees, Board Chairman Sir Howard Stringer said, "Al Pacino is an icon of American film. He has created some of the great characters in the movies - from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana to Roy Cohn.

"I am moved and honored to be considered for such a prestigious award," said 66-year-old Pacino.

In 1992, Pacino won his only Academy Award for "Scent of a Woman" after seven Best Actor and Supporting Actor nominations.

The American Film Institute is a national institute dedicated to recognizing and celebrating excellence in film, television, and digital media. In 1973, AFI's first Life Achievement Award was given to director John Ford. A side note: President Richard Nixon attended this first gala dinner and tribute.

Actor Tom Hanks, 46, and director Steven Spielberg, 49, were the youngest recipients of this award. Director David Lean and Alfred Hitchcock along with actor Sean Connery were the only non-Americans to win this award. Some critics claim that the nature of a televised tribute slants recipients to those who might garner high ratings.

The AFI's 35th Life Achievement Tribute honoring Al Pacino will be broadcast on the USA Network on Tuesday, June 19th and Saturday, June 23rd, 2007.

SOURCES:

http://www.afi.com/tvevents/laa/laa07.aspx

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=238601

"AFI honoring Al Pacino", Josh Grossberg, E! News, URL: (http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=c94d1279-952c-41cd-bf4f-5989a4154a3e)

http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117952672.html?nav=launch07

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI_Life_Achievement_Award