Francis Ford Coppola’s fearless spirit was front and center as he received the AFI’s 50th Life Achievement Award, and no one captured it better than Adam Driver.
At Saturday’s glittering gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Driver paid a heartfelt tribute to “one of my cinematic heroes,” applauding Coppola’s bold vision, especially with his passion project Megalopolis — a film he self-funded after dreaming it up way back in 1983.
“A theater director who brought his process to film and revolutionized how we think about cinema, and certainly how we make it,” said Driver.
“His movies, for some, are the yardstick to be measured by, and at the very least, examples of the possibilities in film, like in my opinion, Megalopolis.”
Driver also recalled a moment on set that perfectly sums up Coppola’s approach to creativity.
“We’re not being brave enough,” Coppola told the cast and crew on the first day of filming. And from the way Driver described it, those words didn’t just float around — they landed hard.
Praising Coppola’s commitment, Driver shared, “spending $120 million on a piece of art, and not letting the money dictate the content of the film. And believe me, I was there. There was no talk about how he could make this more commercial.”
In a world where box office numbers seem to reign supreme, Driver made it clear why Coppola’s unwavering dedication matters so much.
“This is a principled life, and for a year in our culture when the importance of the arts is minimized, and our industry is seemingly out in the open, then the only metric to judge a film’s success is by how much money it makes. I hang on to individuals like Francis for inspiration, who live through their convictions, through big moves, all in service of pushing the medium forward.”
Driver summed it up beautifully, saying, “Francis took $120 million and created a singular gesture for what he thought film could be, and I think that’s pretty great. That kind of move has an aftershock that certainly will be felt in his films, will be felt throughout time, and is obviously felt in this room.
So, I know you have complicated feelings about awarding Francis, but to echo what everyone else has been saying, you more than deserve this moment. Congratulation on all you’ve achieved, and I’m honoured to be here to celebrate you, your generosity and your bravery.”
Though Megalopolis didn’t exactly charm critics and only brought in $14.3 million worldwide, Coppola’s impact on cinema is undeniable.
With masterpieces like The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now etched into AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list, it’s safe to say his legacy is sealed — brave moves, big dreams, and all.
