DGA Honors 2011
DGA President Taylor Hackford opens DGA Honors 2011 - see more photos in gallery below.
Steven Soderbergh presents the award to HBO's Sheila Nevins.
Jay Roth and Taylor Hackford
with IATSE's Matt Loeb.
Senator Patrick Leahy gives his acceptance speech.
The DGA’s New York Theater became the nexus of entertainment, business, labor and politics on October 13, as the Eighth DGA Honors ceremony celebrated the achievements of Director/Writer/Producer Nora Ephron, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), IATSE International President Matthew Loeb and HBO Documentary Films President Sheila Nevins. The ceremony also featured a special posthumous tribute to pioneering filmmaker Alice Guy Blaché.
DGA President Taylor Hackford kicked off the ceremony stating, “Tonight’s honorees have each made an indelible mark on our community: by providing opportunity, by safeguarding our livelihoods or by using entertainment to open a window onto the human experience.”
Hackford turned the evening over to the DGA Honors’ Master of Ceremonies, comedian, actor, talk-show host and author Richard Belzer, who previously hosted DGA Honors in 2002, 2003, and 2008. In his first introduction of the evening, he brought to the stage DGA National Vice President Steven Soderbergh.
Soderbergh welcomed the guests with good news about the state of the local industry. “Production in New York — especially television production — is booming, and between the state’s tax incentives and the efforts by the state and city to promote and support the film and television industry, producers and talent alike know that New York gives great value.” Soderbergh then presented the evening’s first presentation to HBO Documentary Films President Sheila Nevins, for her “unwavering commitment to documentary filmmakers and the advancement of the documentary genre.”
Hackford returned to the stage with DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth to present the DGA Honor to International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts International President Matthew Loeb.
“For nearly 20 years, the DGA and the IA have also worked closely together in the name of friendship and solidarity,” said Roth. “There is no question that our common goals give both of our organizations the opportunity to thrive, regardless of the challenges we face, no matter how quickly our industry changes.”
Dame Helen Mirren and DGA First Vice President Paris Barclay made the presentation to Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy who was being recognized “for his unflagging commitment to safeguarding the creative work of DGA members – of our entire community – from digital theft and counterfeiting.”
DGA Lifetime Achievement Award/1999 Honors Recipient Martin Scorsese presented the posthumous tribute to pioneering woman director Alice Guy Blaché. “It is the hope and intention of the DGA that by presenting this posthumous special directorial award for lifetime achievement, the Guild can both raise awareness of an exceptional director and bring greater recognition to the role of women in film history.”
The evening’s final presentation was to Director Nora Ephron, presented by actress Meryl Streep, with video congratulations from actor Tom Hanks. Ephron was being honored for her prolific career as a director, producer, journalist, novelist, playwright and screenwriter.
Following the ceremony, DGA Honors attendees enjoyed the VIP after-party at New York’s exclusive Nobu 57 restaurant.
We thank our DGA Honors Sponsors
Golden Tribute Sponsors: Association of Independent Commercial Producers • Cohen & Steers • Directors Guild of Canada • HBO • ICG Local 600 • International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) • Local 52 I.A.T.S.E. • Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. • Motion Picture Editors Guild • NBC Universal • Sony Pictures Entertainment • Viacom/Paramount Pictures •
Honoree Nora Ephron
is moved by her award.
Silver Tribute Sponsors: Bernstein Real Estate • Bush Gottlieb Singer López Kohanski Adelstein & Dickinson • Disney/ABC Television Group • Nigro Karlin Segal & Feldstein, LLP • OPTUMHealth • United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 • Warner Bros. Entertainment •
Bronze Tribute Sponsors: AFTRA • Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC • BlackRock • CBS Corporation • City National Bank • IngleDodd Publishing • J.P. Morgan Asset Management • Local 306, IATSE • Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co., LLP • Motion Picture & Television Fund • Pension Consulting Alliance, Inc. • Screen Actors Guild • Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 764 I.A.T.S.E. • Thorsen French Advocacy • Washington Council Ernst & Young •
photos by Michael Loccisano & Jason Kempin/Getty Images and Marcie Revens