*The African American Film Critics Association has named “Get Out” writer-director Jordan Peele and ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey among the recipients of its special achievement honors.
Alcon Entertainment’s co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove and Los Angeles Film Festival president Claudia Puig will also be recognized at AAFCA’s special achievement luncheon in 2018, which along with its annual awards ceremony will be a “Celebration of Women in Cinema,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The organization cites Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” and Dee Rees’ anticipated “Mudbound,” as well as women-helmed “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” “A United Kingdom,” “Detroit” and “The Beguiled” in declaring “women are rightfully being recognized for their long overdue equity in potential for quality, successful filmmaking.”
“There is no argument that women have made a bold step forward this year in Hollywood,” says AAFCA President Gil Robertson who co-founded the organization in 2003 with Shawn Edwards. “The evidence demonstrated during the past year speaks for itself both in terms of box office and critical recognition by women and we predict that there will be continued momentum going forward. We are also pleased that African American women are a part of this progress and are taking advantage of increased opportunities to make their cinematic imprint.”
The organization also expressed that future projects, including Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time” in March 2018, show that women and African-American directors are heading towards a normalcy in getting more big-screen opportunities.
“Women wrote, produced and directed some of the year’s most compelling, provocative and culturally relevant movies,” adds Edwards. “However, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that women have a permanent place at the table with equal representation.”
In addition to AAFCA special achievement luncheon on Feb. 3 in Marina del Rey, CA, the organization’s annual awards program will take place on Feb. 7 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, CA.
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