AFI FEST 2014 presented by Audi, a program of the American Film Institute, today announced it will honor Sophia Loren with a special Tribute on Wednesday, November 12, 2014. AFI FEST, the 8-day film festival, will take place November 6 through 13 in Hollywood. In her honor, the festival dedicates its 2014 branding to Loren by featuring an enchanting image taken in the summer of August 1965.
The evening, open to the public, will celebrate Loren’s illustrious career and coincides with the 50th anniversary of her Academy Award®-nominated role in MARRIAGE ITALIAN STYLE [MATRIMONIO ALL’ITALIANA] (DIR Vittorio De Sica, 1964). The film, which will be shown as part of the Tribute, was restored by Cineteca di Bologna, the Technicolor Foundation for Cinema Heritage and Memory Cinéma, in collaboration with Surf Film. The Tribute will also include a conversation with Loren about her career, and THE HUMAN VOICE [LA VOCE UMANA] (DIR Edoardo Ponti, 2014), a short film directed by her son in which she stars, will be shown as part of the evening.
Loren, Italy’s most celebrated actress, is a true international icon whose work has been honored around the world. She was the first artist to win a Best Actress Oscar® for a foreign-language performance, for TWO WOMEN [LA CIOCIARA] (DIR Vittorio De Sica, 1960), and she received an honorary Academy Award® in 1991. Other top honors include a Best Actress Award at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1961, an honorary César in 1991, a Career Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival in 1998, an Honorary Golden Berlin Bear from the Berlin Film Festival in 1994 and a David di Donatello Award for her career in 1999. She holds the record for having earned six David di Donatello Awards for acting, including one for her work in THE HUMAN VOICE [LA VOCE UMANA]. Loren previously was honored by AFI as one of America’s Greatest Screen Legends in its AFI’s 100 Years…100 Stars list.
“In a world where the daily obsession seems to be, ‘What’s next?’ Sophia Loren is a rare and welcome reminder that true talent is timeless,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “It is AFI’s honor to shine a proper light on all the gifts she’s given the world across the years.”
“Sophia Loren is a quintessential screen legend, and it is a privilege to honor her with a Tribute that showcases our appreciation of her six decades of influence and outstanding work,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Festival Director. “Her beauty and style make her a timeless icon of glamour, and the exuberance, sensuality and truth that she brings to the screen in her performances as a leading lady of commedia all’italiana and Hollywood films have inspired countless actresses and filmmakers.”
To attend the November 12 tribute with reserved seating, guests must purchase festival passes – specifically the Star Patron Package and Marquee Patron Package. These and other packages and passes — which include access to galas, tributes and other high-demand film events — will go on sale on Tuesday, September 2, 2014. For the sixth consecutive year, AFI FEST will also continue its unprecedented offer of free tickets to screenings. (For ticketing information, please visit AFIFEST.com.)
AFI members at the Two-Star level and above receive a 10% discount on all Patron Packages and Passes. Information about AFI membership is available at AFI.com/membership. The American Film Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and cultural organization, and Patron Packages are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
