Congrats to “Empire” creator Lee Daniels! The famed Oscar nominated-producer and director will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award during next year’s AAFCA “Special Achievement Awards" Ceremony. The affair will take place on Saturday, January 7 at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, California.
Other honorees include: Anthony Hemingway, Director of Underground (AAFCA Horizon Award), Mike Philips, Film Critic of Chicago Tribune (AAFCA Roger Ebert Award), Vanessa Morrison, President of Fox Animation (AAFCA Ashely Boone Award) and Floyd Norman, animator for Disney/Hanna-Barbera (AAFCA Legacy Award).
“All of our honorees are serious players who are helping to move the industry forward in terms of creating images that are diverse and inclusive,” says Gil Robertson, AAFCA president/co-founder. “They are all cultural visionaries who deserve to be recognized for their roles in advancing projects that have paid off critically and financially and we look forward to celebrating their careers.”
In the next month, AAFCA will host its signature event, The 8th AAFCA Awards on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 12, 2016.
Established in 2003, the African American Film Critics Association is the largest black film critics’ organization in the world, representing television, radio, print and online critics.
