If the American Film Institute Awards stands for anything, it’s that everyone in the room — from Leonardo DiCaprio and Ryan Coogler to Timothée Chalamet and Ariana Grande — leaves feeling like a winner.
That spirit was on full display Friday (1/9) as the AFI Awards gathered its 2026 honorees for an invitation-only luncheon in Beverly Hills, where the institute once again celebrated the collaborative nature of film and television by honoring creative teams — in front of and behind the camera.
Inside the ballroom, there were no acceptance speeches in the traditional sense and no suspense over envelopes. Instead, AFI’s ceremony unfolded as a series of thoughtfully written tributes: eloquent rationales for each honored film and television program, followed by brief clips designed to place the year’s work within a broader cultural and artistic context.
AFI President Bob Gazzale spoke in front of star-filled room, ensuring there were no losers with only shared recognition.
The room reflected that mood. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg was spotted chatting with Coogler, whose wife and “Sinners” producer, Zinzi Coogler, stood beside him. Meanwhile, Michael B. Jordan worked the room, trading hugs and handshakes with fellow honorees and guests including “Bugonia” star Jesse Plemons and “Task” actor Mark Ruffalo. Filmmakers James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro greeted each other.
Nearby, DiCaprio stood side by side with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and actors Benicio del Toro and Edward James Olmos. Chase Infiniti looked on from her table, gazing toward her “One Battle After Another” co-stars before the program kicked off.
On the red carpet, with “Death by Lightning” actor Nick Offerman beside him, George Clooney shared laughs with a photographer, adding to the easygoing tone that carried throughout the afternoon. After the event, Infiniti and Jordan reunited for a hug and a brief catch-up, a quiet moment that underscored the camaraderie in the room.
Films honored include “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Jay Kelly,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Train Dreams” and “Wicked: For Good.”
Television shows recognized were “Adolescence,” “Andor,” “Death by Lightning,” “The Diplomat,” “The Lowdown,” “The Pitt,” “Severance,” “The Studio” and “Task.”
Closing the ceremony was Carol Burnett, who delivered AFI’s annual benediction, celebrating the honorees’ achievements while reflecting on her own lifelong love of cinema and television.
“I’ve never lost the deep respect and love that I have for all the stories we tell through cinema and television and by all of those behind and in front of the camera,” Burnett said. “Creative collaboration has always remained at the heart of our work, and AFI brings us all together. The world is a better place for having heard your voices.”
The luncheon also featured AFI’s signature March of Time video montage, a sweeping look at cinematic and television milestones from decades past, situating this year’s honorees within the evolving history of the medium.
Here are the rationales for the AFI’s selections for the year’s top 10 feature films and TV programs, as well as its Special Award:
MOTION PICTURE RATIONALES
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH further realizes the impossible. James Cameron’s unfolding epic deepens an otherworldly immersion – transporting audiences back to a seductively lush Pandora, while also igniting a conversation about how we live on planet Earth. For all of its extraordinary technical achievements, the film’s true magic is the exploration of what is human – a fiery conflict between good and evil, a celebration of family and, ultimately, an appeal to the heart that beats within – and connects – all living creatures.
BUGONIA shatters the concept of “reality” in a cinematic experience unlike any other. Yorgos Lanthimos’ vision is wildly and uniquely his own – blending genres with a sleight of hand that proves explosive when worlds collide. The clash of wills between Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons is a masterclass in the art of acting – demanding audiences question point of view and asking us to consider our world long after we leave the theater.
FRANKENSTEIN electrifies Mary Shelley’s classic novel with a bolt of fragile beauty. Guillermo del Toro’s creation is a monument to the art of cinema – celebrating all that came before while looking to the future with a beating heart. Among the gifts of a brilliant all-star cast including Oscar Isaac and Mia Goth, Jacob Elordi stands tall in this tale of monsters and men, fathers and sons and, ultimately, the power of forgiveness.
HAMNET takes audiences to the very depths of grief, only to lift them high above humanity in the spiritual revelation that we are never alone. Chloé Zhao’s command of time, place and peace bewitches from the Groundlings to the Galleries, and Paul Mescal embodies the Bard with bravado as Jessie Buckley gives the performance of a lifetime – and for all time.
JAY KELLY invites audiences to define “family” – and encourages a commitment to be present for the answer. Noah Baumbach’s insightful valentine to the movies is tailor-made for America’s leading man – George Clooney – whose brilliantly self-reflective performance is further illuminated by emotionally nuanced turns from Adam Sandler and Laura Dern. Hilarious and heart-breaking, this instant Hollywood classic celebrates the making of movies and, more importantly, the making of memories.
MARTY SUPREME manifests the American dream at a time set in the past, but utterly of the moment. Josh Safdie’s sprawling epic ping-pongs between genres in an exhilarating ride that reminds us that life is not a sport we play to win or lose. Along for the journey are Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa A’zion, a legend and a rising star playing opposite Timothée Chalamet – whose brash, ambitious and impossibly magnetic anti-hero prove his purpose as the undeniable leading man of a new generation.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER serves as a rallying cry for fearless originality in American film. Paul Thomas Anderson’s tale for our times pulses with action, explodes with comedy and all on an epic scale. At its core, though, it is an ode to the bond of family – brought to brilliant life by cinema’s supernova, Leonardo DiCaprio. And all hail the stellar supporting cast of Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor and the star-making arrival of Chase Infiniti. ¡Viva la revolución!
SINNERS stakes a rightful place in cinema history by sinking its teeth into the horrors of America’s past. Ryan Coogler’s blood-soaked tale of revisionist vengeance layers genre, music, fire and brimstone to create a wholly original vision. This modern masterpiece is filled with cinematic spirits embodied by talents that span from newcomer Miles Caton to the legendary Delroy Lindo – and Michael B. Jordan’s powerful dual role as “Smoke” and “Stack” confirms that he stands alone as one of today’s brightest stars.
TRAIN DREAMS weaves together memory, time and place to create an art piece worthy of the highest poetry. Presented as a collection of dreamlike American tintypes, Clint Bentley’s ethereal narrative is grounded in an eternally resonant performance from Joel Edgerton. Across his triumphs, turning points and tragedies, audiences are ultimately reminded that every moment is precious.
WICKED: FOR GOOD soars beyond the rainbow and into a world where the youthful defiance of gravity meets the reality of choices made. Jon M. Chu’s return to Oz remains gilded in confectionery colors, but the spellbinding performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande explore the deepest complexities of friendship – leaving America’s beloved cultural canon changed for the better. And, yes, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard is “wonderful.”
TELEVISION RATIONALES
ADOLESCENCE envelops audiences in a nightmare – only to reveal a reality even more chilling. Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne’s landmark drama addresses the rage of the innocent and the devastating consequences of allowing it to simmer and spread. With performances by Graham and Owen Cooper grounding the issue in humanity, the creative ensemble’s hour-long takes are a wonder to behold – not as tricks of television but underscoring the hypnotic nature of this unforgettable “why-done-it.”
ANDOR reimagines one of our culture’s sacred texts to meet this moment in American history. Tony Gilroy proves the power of STAR WARS expands “far, far away” beyond space opera – and cuts deep as a tale of complex, fearless heroes and a rising resistance in the face of fascism.
DEATH BY LIGHTNING arrives with a thunderclap – illuminating an impactful, but bygone moment in American history to provide insight into our divided present. Mike Makowsky’s page from the past is sketched with fine strokes of a romantic yesteryear, tragic pathos and a sly humor brought to life by Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen and a brilliant ensemble.
THE DIPLOMAT ascends to the highest office in television in its third term. Politics are personal in Debora Cahn’s stylish and sophisticated series, with Keri Russell and an all-star ensemble personifying the tension between affairs of the state and affairs of the heart as the two collide in a world on the brink.
THE LOWDOWN stands tall as a story for our time. Sterlin Harjo’s neo-pulp series peers into the forgotten corners of a marginalized America – embracing the human poetry beneath the grit and decay of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ethan Hawke’s “truthstorian” Lee Raybon arrives a hapless anti-hero in one of the year’s most magnetic performances.
THE PITT pulses with empathy for America’s frontline heroes. R. Scott Gemmill’s riveting reinvention of the medical drama is taut and timely – capturing a grueling single-day where horrors span from gun violence and pandemics – to proper funding for healthcare. Heartbreaking performances from an ensemble led by Noah Wyle embody the toll taken on the individuals we rely on with unconditional hope and trust.
PLUR1BUS invades Earth with a smile and a scream to beg the question: what makes us human? Vince Gilligan proves his mastery of tone in this high-concept slow-burn, and Rhea Seehorn stands alone, literally and figuratively, as she navigates the cosmic conformity of the uncanny masses whose only aspiration is to serve man.
SEVERANCE continues its ascent into television history as it descends into a fluorescent-lit darkness. A stellar ensemble brings a hope-filled humanity to Dan Erickson’s surreal serial – a corporate nightmare where each new labyrinth deepens the grim commentary on today’s schizophrenic work-life balance.
THE STUDIO cuts Hollywood’s bullshit to the bone. Creators Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory and Frida Perez’s extreme close-up of today’s creative machine delivers a poison-pen love letter to the film industry – satirizing with deep insider insights, as smart and acerbic as they are consistently, uncomfortably hilarious.
TASK transports audiences to a world where tragedy and redemption discover each other – and embrace. Brad Ingelsby creates an ensemble of characters so complex – and so beautifully realized by Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey and an extraordinary cast – that audiences look beyond the pulse-pounding police procedural and, instead, reflect on family and forgiveness.
AFI SPECIAL AWARD RATIONALE
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT is filmmaking at its finest and, in its creation, a battle cry in the expression of bravery. Jafar Panahi’s lively revenge romp is clear-eyed about atrocity and, yet, skillful in finding the humanity and the humor in unimaginable circumstances. Here and today, this master of cinema’s work stands proudly as proof that filmmaking can be an act of revolution.
