We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Awardee is Frank Darabont, director of film favorites THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE GREEN MILE, THE MAJESTIC, THE MIST, and more. Darabont will accept the award at the Festival’s annual Award Luncheon on Saturday, October 20 at the Austin Club.
Frank Darabont is a three-time Academy Award® nominee (director, writer, and producer) and is one of only six filmmakers in history to have had their first two feature films as director receive Oscar® nominations for Best Picture, with 1994’s THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and 1999’s THE GREEN MILE. Both these films were adaptations based on works by Stephen King, and both garnered Oscar® nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the director of 2001’s THE MAJESTIC starring Jim Carrey and another Stephen King adaptation, 2007’s THE MIST starring Thomas Jane. Darabont most recently is credited as the creator of the critically acclaimed AMC television series, The Walking Dead.
The award winner will contribute to this year’s Conference in “A Conversation with Frank Darabont,” which will take an in-depth look inside Darabont’s career in both film and television as a writer and director.
The Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award recognizes outstanding filmmakers for going above and beyond with their consistently exceptional bodies of work. Frank Darabont will join the ranks of past recipients, which include the likes of John Lasseter (TOY STORY), Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY), Ron Howard (THE DA VINCI CODE), Danny Boyle (127 HOURS), Oliver Stone (PLATOON), and Sydney Pollack (OUT OF AFRICA).