
Honoring a year of excellence.

Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Critic
The New Yorker
Critic
American Film Institute
Scholar
Critic
The Washington Post
Producer
Scholar
University of Southern California
Scholar
Critic
Actor
Actress
Critic
Rolling Stone
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
AFI Board of Trustees
American Film Institute
Director/Writer/Producer
Critic
NPR
Critic
The New Yorker
Scholar
University of California, Santa Cruz
AFI Board of Trustees
Critic
Salon
Critic
The Los Angeles Times
Critic
TV Guide
Actress
Scholar
Syracuse University
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Editor
Critic
American Film Institute
Scholar
Critic
The Washington Post
Critic
Scholar
University of Southern California
Scholar
Critic
Writer/Director
Critic
Rolling Stone
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Director/Producer
Scholar
The University of Texas at Austin
Writer/Director/Producer
American Film Institute
Critic
The New Yorker
AFI Board of Trustees
Writer/Producer
Critic
The Los Angeles Times
Critic
TV Guide
AFI Board of Trustees
Scholar
Syracuse University
Writer/Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Actor/Writer/Director
Critic
American Film Institute
Writer/Director/Producer
Critic
The Washington Post
Critic
Historian
University of Southern California
Historian
Critic
AFI Board of Trustees
Critic
Rolling Stone
Actor/Writer/Director/Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Writer/Director/Producer
American Film Institute
Writer/Producer
Critic
The New Yorker
Historian
University of California, Santa Cruz
AFI Board of Trustees
Critic
Salon
Critic
The Los Angeles Times
Writer/Director/Producer
Critic
TV Guide
AFI Board of Trustees
Historian
Syracuse University
Jury Co-Chair
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Jury Co-Chair
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Critic
National Public Radio
Writer/Director
Critic
African American Film Critics Association
American Film Institute
Writer/Producer
Critic
The Washington Post
Actress/Director/Producer
Historian
Critic
Historian
University of California, Santa Cruz
AFI Board of Trustees
Historian
University of Southern California
Historian
Critic
Critic
The Los Angeles Times
Critic
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Critic
TV Guide
Critic
Historian
University of Southern California
Historian
Syracuse University
Critic
Rolling Stone
Writer/Director/Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Jury Co-ChairWesleyan UniversityAFI Board of Trustees
Jury Co-ChairProducerAFI Board of Trustees
Actor/Director/Producer/Choreographer/ Dancer/Singer/Songwriter
African American Film Critics Association
Actress/Singer/Songwriter
American Film Institute
Historian
Historian
The Washington Post
Director/Producer/Writer
Critic/Journalist
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Writer
Actress/Producer
Historian
The Los Angeles Times
University of Southern California
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
TV Guide
Critic/Journalist
Director/Producer/Writer
Actor/Producer
Syracuse University
Rolling Stone
Director/Producer/Writer
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Actor
Northwestern University
American Film Institute
Director/Producer
University of California, Santa Cruz
AFI Board of Trustees
The Los Angeles Times
TV Guide
Critic/Journalist
University of Southern California
Actor/Director/Producer
Syracuse University
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
American Film Institute
The Boston Globe
Historian
The Washington Post
Historian
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Actor/Producer
University of Southern California
Historian
NPR
Rolling Stone
Actor/Producer
Syracuse University
Vanity Fair
Critic/Journalist
TV Guide
The Los Angeles Times
AFI Board of Trustees
University of California, Santa Cruz
Director/Cinematographer
American Film Institute
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Director/Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Actor/Producer
Rolling Stone
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
NPR
Historian
University of Southern California
The Denver Post
The Washington Post
Historian
American Film Institute
Actor/Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Syracuse University
University of Texas, Austin
Variety
TV Guide
The Los Angeles Times
BET Networks
AFI Board of Trustees
University of California, Santa Cruz
Director
American Film Institute
SAG-AFTRA
AFI Board of Trustees
NPR
Director/Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone
NPR
Historian
The Denver Post
The Washington Post
American Film Institute
Actor/Director/Producer
Editor
Actor/Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Director/Screenwriter/Producer
Syracuse University
Variety
TV Guide
The Los Angeles Times
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
BET Networks
AFI Board of Trustees
Screenwriter/Producer
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Los Angeles
Actor/Director/Producer
American Film Institute
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone
Director
MTV News
Cinematographer
Historian
University of Southern California
The Denver Post
Historian
American Film Institute
Director/Screenwriter
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Actor/Director/Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
DreamWorks Studios
AFI Board of Trustees
Screenwriter/Producer
Syracuse University
Director/Producer
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Southern California
Variety
TV Guide
The Los Angeles Times
Director/Producer
American Film Institute
Harvard University
Screenwriter/Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone
Producer
Director/Screenwriter
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Director
Historian
The Denver Post
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Historian
Historian
American Film Institute
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Michael Wright
AFI Board of Trustees
Syracuse University
ICM Partners
AFI Board of Trustees
University of Southern California
The Huffington Post
TV Guide
Actor
TIME
University of California, Santa Cruz
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
American Film Institute
Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone Magazine
USA Today
Historian
University of Southern California
Cinematographer
Director/Actor
Denver Post
Director/Screenwriter
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Historian
American Film Institute
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Actor
Syracuse University
ICM Partners
AFI Board of Trustees
University of Southern California
The Huffington Post
TV Guide Magazine
AFI Board of Trustees
Princeton University
Entertainment Weekly
American Film Institute
Screenwriter
Senior Lecturer, AFI Conservatory
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone Magazine
USA Today
University of Southern California
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Historian
The Denver Post
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Entertainment Weekly
American Film Institute
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Editor
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Syracuse University
University of Texas at Austin
International Creative Management
AFI Board of Trustees
The Huffington Post
TV Guide Magazine
Time Magazine
Los Angeles Times
University of California, Los Angeles
Producer/Screenwriter
American Film Institute
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone Magazine
Actor
USA Today
University of Southern California
“Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide”
The Denver Post
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Entertainment Weekly
American Film Institute
Director/Screenwriter
Actor
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Entertainment Weekly
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
International Creative Management
AFI Board of Trustees
TV Guide Magazine
Time Magazine
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Georgia Institute of Technology
Producer/Screenwriter
University of California, Los Angeles
The Hollywood Reporter
American Film Institute
University of California, Santa Barbara
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Rolling Stone Magazine
Producer
USA Today
Producer/Screenwriter
“Leonard Maltln’s Movie Guide”
University of Southern California
Jim Hosney
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Entertainment Weekly
Actor
American Film Institute
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Tom Pollock
Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
University of Texas at Austin
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Production Designer
AFI Board of Trustees
AOL
TV Guide Magazine
Time Magazine
Los Angeles Times
New York University
Henry Jenkins
Producer/Actor
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
American Film Institute
Producer/Screenwriter
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Princeton University
Entertainment Weekly
USA Today
THE TREATMENT
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
“Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide”
University of Southern California
American Film Institute
Columbia University
Producer/Director
Producer/Screenwriter
Editor
Wesleyan University
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Syracuse University
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
University of Southern California
Chicago Tribune
TV Guide Magazine
Actor
University of California, Santa Barbara
Producer/Screenwriter
Variety
University of California, Santa Cruz
Arizona State University
Producer
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Producer/Screenwriter
Entertainment Weekly
Historian/Author/Documentary Filmmaker
USA Today
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
University of California, Los Angeles
THE TREATMENT
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Producer/Director
Entertainment Weekly/New York Magazine
Author
University of Southern California
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Actor
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer/Director
Producer/Director
University of Arizona
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
University of Southern California
TV Guide
AFI Conservatory
Screenwriter
Time Magazine
Actor
Los Angeles Times
AFI President Emerita
University of California, Los Angeles
Producer/Screenwriter
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
AFI Trustee Emeritus
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Variety
AFI Trustee Emerita
University of California, Los Angeles
Time Magazine
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
THE TREATMENT
University of Southern California
American Film Institute
Entertainment Weekly
Author
University of California, Los Angeles
Wesleyan University
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
AFI Board of Trustees
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Screenwriter
University of California, Santa Barbara
The New Yorker
The Hollywood Reporter
Producer/Director/Actor
AFI Trustee Emerita
University of Georgia
AFI Conservatory
Screenwriter
TV Guide
Chicago Tribune
Syracuse University
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Hosftra University
Producer/Director
Time Magazine
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer
AFI Trustee Emeritus
Producer/Screenwriter/Novelist
University of Southern California
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Trustee Emeritus
University of California, Los Angeles
AFI Conservatory
Director/Editor
Newsweek
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
AFI Conservatory
Director/Screenwriter
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
AFI Board of Trustees
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Screenwriter
Producer/Director
Los Angeles Times
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
The Hollywood Reporter
University of Michigan
Variety
University of Southern California
TV Guide
University of California, Los Angeles
AFI Board of Trustees
Columbia University
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Directors Guild of America
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Spyglass Entertainment
AFI Board of Trustees
University of Southern California
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
University of California, Los Angeles
Duke University
National Public Radio
Producer/Screenwriter
Producer
AFI Trustee Emeritus
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Los Angeles Times
The Hollywood Reporter
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
AFI Board of Trustees
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Tribune Entertainment Company
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Screenwriter
University of California, Los Angeles
Producer
Producer
Seattle Post Intelligencer
University of Southern California
Time Magazine
Producer
TV Guide
AFI Conservatory
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Director
The New Yorker
University of California, Santa Barbara
Producer/Director
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Director
Entertainment Weekly
University of California, Los Angeles
AFI Board of Trustees
Film Historian
San Francisco State University
Los Angeles Times
Laura Ziskin
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
The Firm
AFI Board of Trustees
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Tribune Entertainment Company
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer/Screenwriter
The Daily News
Television Week
Producer/Screenwriter
University of California, Los Angeles
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
University of Southern California
Georgia Institute of Technology
AFI Board of Trustees
University of Georgia
George Foster Peabody Awards
Producer
TV Guide
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Chicago Sun-Times
EBERT & ROEPER
Newsweek
Wesleyan University
AFI Trustee Emerita
University of Southern California
Actor
Producer/Screenwriter
Director/Screenwriter
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Time Magazine
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Entertainment Weekly
Princeton University
Producer
Newsday
Former President & CEO, UPN
Director
TV Guide
Producer
University of Georgia
George Foster Peabody Awards
Variety
University of Southern California
Producer
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Richmond
Chair, AFI Jury for Television
Integrated Entertainment Partners
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Editor
University of California, Los Angeles
AFI Board of Trustees
AFI Conservatory
Director/Screenwriter
Time Magazine
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Middlebury College
AFI Trustee Emeritus
University of Southern California
Premiere Magazine
The Hollywood Reporter
Orlando Sentinel
Wesleyan University
AFI Trustee Emerita
Director
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Loeks-Star Theatres
Actor
Los Angeles Times
Director
Actor
Director
Variety
The Seattle Times
Salon.com
Digital Effects Artist
University of California, Los Angeles
California Institute of the Arts
Middlebury College
Producer/Production Designer
N.C. School of the Arts
The Wall Street Journal
New York Magazine
Digital Effects Artist
Cinematographer
Los Angeles Times
Composer
Actor
People Magazine
Actor
Producer
Entertainment Weekly
Production Designer
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
New York University
American Cinematheque
Director
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Actor
Philadelphia Inquirer
Producer/Screenwriter/Editor
Premiere Magazine
Syracuse University
Production Designer
Producer
Los Angeles Times
Cinematographer
Cinematographer
Director
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Chicago Tribune
Producer
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Production Designer
Baltimore Sun
Composer
Producer
Producer/Director/Actor
AFI Board of Trustees
Editor
Newsweek
Director/Screenwriter
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Director
Producer/Screenwriter
Director/Screenwriter
Production Designer
Producer
Production Designer
Independent Features Project
Producer
NYU’s Tisch School
Editor
Time Magazine
Production Designer
Digital Effects Artist
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Movieline
Director
Screenwriter
Director
Composer
Producer/Screenwriter
San Francisco Examiner
National Assoc. of Theatre Owners
Director/Screenwriter/Actor
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Producer
Scholar/Historian
Editor
Producer/Screenwriter
The Hollywood Reporter
Independent Feature Project West
Producer/Director
Columbia University
Producer
Director/Actor
Actor
Producer/Director
Cinematographer
Preservationist
The Washington Post
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer
Producer
Actor
Loeks-Star Theatres
Actor
Los Angeles Times
Director
Actor
Director
Variety
The Seattle Times
Salon.com
Digital Effects Artist
University of California, Los Angeles
California Institute of the Arts
Middlebury College
Producer/Production Designer
N.C. School of the Arts
The Wall Street Journal
New York Magazine
Digital Effects Artist
Cinematographer
Los Angeles Times
Composer
Actor
People Magazine
Actor
Producer
Entertainment Weekly
Production Designer
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
New York University
American Cinematheque
Director
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Actor
Philadelphia Inquirer
Producer/Screenwriter/Editor
Premiere Magazine
Syracuse University
Production Designer
Producer
Los Angeles Times
Cinematographer
Cinematographer
Director
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Chicago Tribune
Producer
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Production Designer
Baltimore Sun
Composer
Producer
Producer/Director/Actor
AFI Board of Trustees
Editor
Newsweek
Director/Screenwriter
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Director
Producer/Screenwriter
Director/Screenwriter
Production Designer
Producer
Production Designer
Independent Features Project
Producer
NYU’s Tisch School
Editor
Time Magazine
Production Designer
Digital Effects Artist
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Movieline
Director
Screenwriter
Director
Composer
Producer/Screenwriter
San Francisco Examiner
National Assoc. of Theatre Owners
Director/Screenwriter/Actor
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Producer
Scholar/Historian
Editor
Producer/Screenwriter
The Hollywood Reporter
Independent Feature Project West
Producer/Director
Columbia University
Producer
Director/Actor
Actor
Producer/Director
Cinematographer
Preservationist
The Washington Post
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Producer
Producer
Actor
Chair, AFI 2000 Jury
AFI Board of Trustees
Film Journalist/Critic
Film Scholar
AFI Board of Trustees
Film Preservationist/Historian
Film Journalist/Critic
AFI Board of Trustees
Film Scholar
AFI Board of Trustees
Film Journalist/Critic
Filmmaker
Filmmaker
The honorees include 10 outstanding films and 10 outstanding TV programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. An additional honoree was selected in a category for “AFI Special Award,” designated for works of excellence that fall outside of the Institute’s criteria of American film and television.

…fractures the modern fairy tale with an explosion of originality. Sean Baker continues his pursuit of the untold stories of America, driven forward with force by Mikey Madison’s Brooklyn sex worker. This breakout performance shatters stereotype in a complex embodiment of hilarity and heartbreak while providing a crisp look at the modern world’s obsession with money, class and power – and the elusive nature of happily ever after.

…forges an upside-down American dream on the layered foundations of love, class and the darkest pains of the past. Brady Corbet’s opus stands as a monument to the power of the art form – brilliantly manifesting the age-old clash between artistic expression and the greed inherent in capitalism. At the cornerstone of this epic tale are tour-de-force performances from Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, who demand audiences answer the question: is the destination worth the journey?

…enters the American cinematic songbook through the mind and music of Bob Dylan. At the heart and soul of James Mangold’s time capsule stands Timothée Chalamet, whose embodiment of Dylan’s superhuman genius – and his human frailties – brings electric life to an iconic enigma. Explosive inner conflicts are grounded in the masterful supporting performances of Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro and Elle Fanning, each of whom answer the question with their eyes – “How does it feel…to be on your own?”

…sends convention up in smoke in this pulse-pounding papal thriller. Edward Berger’s deft direction proves taut, smart and subversive, as Roman whispers drive this robe and dagger drama forward with force. Rare is the film that endlessly entertains while posing thorny theological questions about faith and doubt – delivered in powerhouse performances from the holy alliance of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.

…unleashes all the powers of the art form to fulfill the prophecy of its predecessor. Denis Villeneuve’s peerless vision for the epic big screen provides an unparalleled immersive experience where audiences are first-hand witness to both pulse-pounding action and spell-binding artistry. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya lead the army of artists who imagine these worlds beyond spectacle and, perhaps most daringly, touch the heart of what is human.

…smashes the convention of the cinematic crime saga – with song and dance, murder and mayhem, and a thoughtful examination of gender and identity. Defying genre with every fresh step, Jacques Audiard’s stylishly provocative thriller continually explodes its narrative with powder keg performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez – a true triple threat of today’s top talent.

…opens our eyes to America – both its capacity for cruelty and its strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. Adapting the acclaimed novel by Colson Whitehead with infinite intimacy, RaMell Ross shines a lyrical light on atrocities in the all-too-recent past. Experiencing the narrative through a floating, first-person lens proves a cinematic magic trick that both breaks and then remakes the rules of the art form – ultimately, illuminating the poetic power of movies as engines of empathy.

…is a true joy – finding the power of family and friendship amongst the ruins of an inhuman past. Jesse Eisenberg presents this odd couple odyssey as a comic-tragic Kvetch-22, an emotionally impossible journey that finds its way forward through the wildly oscillating moods and manners of Kieran Culkin’s hilariously charismatic performance. Audiences will laugh aloud – and never forget.

…sings a song of Shakespeare within the kingdom of incarceration – proving the capacity of creativity to restore and inspire those who suffer “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Greg Kwedar unlocks the talents of an extraordinary cast, led by Colman Domingo and an unprecedented ensemble of professionals and ex-prisoners who remind audiences, most powerfully, that it is art that will set you free.

…soars into the stratosphere of cinema history – a modern classic born from an evergreen concoction of cultural landmarks. The screen has rarely seen – or heard – towering performances like those delivered by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, leaving audiences Oz-struck across generations. And with Jon M. Chu the wizard behind the curtain, a brilliant creative ensemble creates an immersive world where one fights for what is right while encouraging us to believe we all can fly beyond the rainbow.

…graduates into its third year raising the curve for contemporary comedy. Quinta Brunson’s endearing series unites the most familial and familiar of quick-witted characters and also stands tall as a timely monument to public school teachers and their personal devotion to a brighter future.

…earns another AFI star in a season marked by an ever-simmering, often scorching tension between families, finances and fine dining. As temperatures rise in the pursuit of perfection, Christopher Storer’s masterful series calls upon the talents of an extraordinary front and back-of house ensemble to prove the show’s place in the pantheon as a “non-negotiable.”

…raises the curtain on its third year with an audacious ambition – to bring new challenges, new life and new laughter to comedic characters that had fully-evolved in their journey to success. The results are triumphant. Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky have created a combustible alchemy in the relationship between Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, who prove yet again that they’re stronger together, in spite of themselves.

…retires old notions about the elderly by injecting a mature mystery into the everyday of a senior living community. Ted Danson proves the value of vintage, bringing an easy, intoxicating charm to Michael Schur’s delightful caper – a wholesome whodunit both light-hearted and life-affirming.

…is a killer romance. With domesticity as a false front for secrets and lies, Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover’s globe-trotting thriller celebrates the pulse-pounding similarities between murder and couples therapy. The chemistry between its stars – Glover and Maya Erskine – proves explosive and as the smoke clears, demands we ask how well we know those closest to us.

…is just what the world needs most – a smart, clever, funny romantic comedy that serves as an optimistic inspiration for divided times. Erin Foster’s light-hearted love story imagines “a rabbi and an agnostic walk into a bar,” and what follows lifts audiences’ hearts with the undeniably effervescent chemistry of Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. Which begs a toast – “L’Chaim!”

…elevates pulp comics to prestige drama. Lauren LeFranc’s layered storytelling frames gritty Gotham in shadow, a lawless landscape with mob families battling for power and redemption. Colin Farrell dominates the dark through the sheer power of presence, and with Cristin Milioti as his underworld rival, together they bring both fire and ice to the canon of gangster classics.

…commands an epic vision that sails beyond the boundaries of television. Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks breathe new life into the classic novel from James Clavell – expanding upon its subtleties with rich cultural authenticity. Standing tall at its center is Hiroyuki Sanada – around whose rising sun orbits a stellar ensemble that evokes emotion transcending the barriers of language as they question what it means to seize, wield and hold power.

…delves into the complexities of everyday with a fearless smile. Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein’s series provides a couch for audiences to lie and laugh upon – encouraging self-reflection, inspiring discovery and, ultimately, embracing moments of unexpected joy. At the foundation of a brilliant acting ensemble stands Harrison Ford, who transcends his own blockbuster iconography to show it is his heart that has earned his place as an American icon.

…shines a blinding light on unknown terrors in the dark – and illuminates a cultural chasm that divides us. Issa López’s heart-pounding mystery makes masterful use of the unseen to immerse audiences in an other-worldly environment that haunts from within. Standing stalwart among the shadows are Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, whose powerhouse performances uncover the unembodied power of greed and its corrosion of the spirit, the soil and the soul.

…proves unrelenting in its exploration of what is kind and what is crazy – and does so as one of the year’s most uncompromising entertainments. Richard Gadd’s searing autobiographical series masks the darkest of pain with the most uncomfortable of comedy, and his brilliant performance – alongside Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau – underscores the pathos by illuminating universally authentic emotions.

AFI AWARDS was created in 2000 to recognize the films and television programs which contribute to our collective cultural legacy. When placed in an historical context, these stories provide a complex, rich, visual record of our modern world. Since then, AFI AWARDS has honored 10 outstanding films and 10 outstanding TV programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of the year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.
Unique in its celebration of the art form’s collaborative nature, AFI AWARDS is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole – recognizing those in front of and behind the camera.The AFI AWARDS 2025 honorees will be announced in December 2025 and the honorees-only event will take place on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.
Honorees are selected based on works which:
AFI AWARDS selections are made through AFI’s unique jury process – in which scholars, artists, critics and AFI Trustees determine the most outstanding achievements of the year.
For additional information about AFI AWARDS, contact Josh Kushins at[email protected].
Thank you for your support.


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