Jessica Chastain is set to receive the 38th American Cinematheque Award, while Oppenheimer producer Charles Roven will be honored with The Power of Cinema Award. The tribute will take place at The Beverly Hilton on December 6.
Chastain joins a prestigious list of American Cinematheque Award honorees, which includes Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson, Spike Lee, Charlize Theron, and Bradley Cooper. The award, established in 1986, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the art of cinema.
The Power of Cinema Award, established in 2021, honors individuals or organizations whose storytelling has advanced the significance and social relevance of film in modern culture. Previous recipients include Kevin Goetz & Screen Engine, Jason Blum & Blumhouse, Participant, Adam Aron/AMC Theatres, Dolby Laboratories, IMAX, Sue Kroll, and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
The awards ceremony serves as an annual fundraiser for the non-profit organization American Cinematheque, which continues its year-round programming at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Los Feliz 3 Theatre in Los Feliz, and Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
In a statement regarding Chastain’s recognition, AC Board Chair Rick Nicita said, “The career of Jessica Chastain is a testament to the pursuit of artistic virtuosity while entertaining audiences in every medium. She has been honored for her work on stage in the Broadway productions of The Heiress and A Doll’s House. She has been nominated for an Emmy for her performance in George & Tammy. To the delight of movie audiences, her fearlessness in portraying characters of every dimension has resulted in an Academy Award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. She is a fierce advocate for social causes and an active film and television producer. In all her endeavors, a commitment to excellence shines through as well as a burning intelligence. The American Cinematheque is proud and honored to present Jessica Chastain with the 38th American Cinematheque Award.”
Nicita also praised Roven, calling him “the gold standard for the contemporary Hollywood producer.” He noted, “His decades-spanning career has included movies that have received 24 Academy Award nominations and 10 Oscars while achieving unparalleled commercial successes. His credits are too numerous to list but, to name a few: The Dark Knight, Wonder Woman, American Hustle and, most recently, last year’s Best Picture Oppenheimer. His skills and unflagging determination to make sure that each movie is the best movie that it can be has earned him respect and collaboration with the industry’s most celebrated directors and the trust of financiers of budgets of all sizes. The American Cinematheque is proud to present the Power Of Cinema Award to a true movie maker of the highest level, Charles Roven.”
Chastain has recently starred in films like The Good Nurse and Armageddon Time, as well as Showtime’s George & Tammy. She will next be seen starring opposite Anne Hathaway in Neon’s psychological thriller Mothers’ Instinct from filmmaker Benoît Delhomme, which releases on July 26.
Roven, who landed his first Best Picture Oscar this year for his work on Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, has been instrumental in shaping the DC Expanded Universe with films like Man of Steel, The Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman. He has also produced titles like Uncharted and The Dark Knight trilogy. Currently, he’s in post-production on John Woo’s The Killer for Universal and Amazon MGM’s Mercy.
Throughout her celebrated movie career, Chastain has starred in The Debt, Take Shelter, The Martian, Crimson Peak, Molly’s Game, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye. She is also a producer through Freckle Films, a New York-based film and TV production company launched in 2016. Chastain joins previous American Cinematheque Award winners like Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Ridley Scott, Amy Adams, and Helen Mirren.
Roven, whose movies have received 24 Academy Award nominations and 10 Oscars, founded Atlas Entertainment and has credits that include The Dark Knight, Wonder Woman, American Hustle, and last year’s Oscar Best Picture winner Oppenheimer. He received the Producers Guild of America’s prestigious David O. Selznick Achievement Award in 2018.
The Power of Cinema Award honors “an individual or organization whose actions through storytelling have advanced the significance and social relevance of film in today’s modern culture.” Previous honorees include Kevin Goetz and Screen Engine, Jason Blum and Blumhouse, Dolby Laboratories, IMAX, and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
The American Cinematheque is proud to present these awards to two individuals who have made significant contributions to the film industry. The awards ceremony will not only celebrate their achievements but also support the organization’s mission to promote the art of cinema through its year-round programming.
Source: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter
