New York, NY – The Directors Guild of America announced today
Robert De Niro has been selected to receive one of the Guild's most distinguished awards for excellence in his craft and his outstanding contributions to American film culture.
"De Niro has always had an amazing ability to create unforgettable characters that sear themselves into the psyche of film audiences," said Michael Apted, President of the Directors Guild of America. But what makes him truly unique and worthy of this DGA Honor is that he has demonstrated the same unbridled intensity in developing and revitalizing the New York film community."
The Directors Guild of America Honors celebrates individuals and institutions that have made distinguished contributions to American culture through the world of film and television. At the same time, DGA Honors recognizes the diversity of achievement - in business, government, labor and higher education - required to produce the best entertainment in the world.
DGA Honors is an event as unique as the individuals it recognizes," said DGA National Vice President Ed Sherin. "By gathering more than 750 top leaders to celebrate those individuals whose work profoundly influences, touches and shapes our lives, DGA Honors becomes, for one September evening, the New York nexus of entertainment, business, labor and politics."
The full slate of honorees for this year's event will be announced after Memorial Day. Past honorees have included influential filmmakers Martin Scorsese, Mike Nichols, Sydney Pollack, Spike Lee, and Robert Altman, as well as powerful leaders in entertainment, labor and politics such as Bob Shaye, CEO, New Line; Jeff Bewkes, CEO, HBO; former NEA Chairwoman, Jane Alexander; Senator Ted Kennedy; Congressman Richard Gephardt; AFL-CIO president John Sweeney, and IATSE president Tom Short. Past presenters have included Tom Cruise, Halle Berry, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ellen DeGeneres, Matt Dillon, Tim Robbins, Francis Ford Coppola and Ron Howard.
