Hollywood’s finest gathered Saturday night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to honor legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who received the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award — the highest accolade from the American Film Institute.
Directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, long-time friends and collaborators of Coppola, presented him with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.
In an emotional speech, Spielberg praised Coppola’s fearless creativity, recalling their first meeting in 1967 and highlighting Coppola’s commitment to championing independent artists. Spielberg notably called The Godfather “the greatest American film ever made,” saying, “You have redefined the canon of American film and inspired a generation of storytellers. I always want to make you proud of my work.”
George Lucas, reminiscing about shadowing Coppola on the set of Finian’s Rainbow in 1968, called Coppola his “hero,” crediting him for inspiring his own boldness in filmmaking. “He taught me not to be afraid of jumping off cliffs,” Lucas said.
Following the tributes, Coppola delivered a heartfelt speech, reflecting on memories of family, friends, and the neighborhood that shaped him. “My home isn’t really a place at all,” he said. “It’s all of you — friends, colleagues, teachers, playmates, family, neighbors.”
The night also featured emotional tributes from Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, Spike Lee, Diane Lane, and Ralph Macchio. De Niro and Pacino, stars of The Godfather, personally thanked Coppola, with De Niro saying, “You changed my life,” and Pacino adding, “You believed in me even more than I believed in myself.”
Earlier in the evening, the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal was posthumously awarded to David Lynch, with a pre-recorded tribute honoring his legacy and connection to AFI.
Coppola’s towering contributions to cinema — including The Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula — were celebrated throughout the night.
A televised special, The 50th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Francis Ford Coppola, will premiere soon on TNT, with an encore airing on TCM.