Academy Award-nominated director, producer and writer Baz Luhrmann will be presented with The Advanced Imaging Society’s annual Harold Lloyd Award for filmmaking. The director, producer and co-writer of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Elvis, the celebrated biopic of the American icon and beloved musical legend Elvis Presley, will be honored during the Society’s 13th annual Lumiere Awards luncheon on February 10 at The Beverly Hills Hotel.
Luhrmann’s acclaimed portrayal in Elvis celebrates the extraordinary life of a trailblazing artist, the loves and poignant losses Presley faced as a man, and the timeless music and groundbreaking performances he gave the world. The film explores how Presley’s unprecedented rise to fame was sparked by larger-than-life manager Colonel Tom Parker and illuminates the darkness and complexity of the dynamic that contributed to Presley’s tragic and untimely demise. In addition to Elvis, which has garnered critical acclaim as well as having had massive success at the worldwide box office, Luhrmann has directed genre-defining, dazzlingly creative hit feature films for decades, including many stylistically groundbreaking and Oscar-nominated epics including The Great Gatsby, Romeo + Juliet, Strictly Ballroom, Australia, and Moulin Rouge!. Luhrmann’s opera and theater productions have also garnered Tony Awards for Broadway runs of Puccini’s opera La Bohème (2002) and his adaptation of Moulin Rouge! (2020). His recent directorial projects include The Get Down (2016) for Netflix and Faraway Downs, a Hulu series reimagining his 2008 film Australia.
The Harold Lloyd Lumiere Award is presented annually, in partnership with the Harold Lloyd family, for distinguished achievement in filmmaking to directors who have marshaled technology to empower their storytelling.
“The Harold Lloyd Award was originated more than a decade ago to recognize filmmakers who have boldly moved our industry forward through their artistry and technical innovation,” said Society president Jim Chabin. “We are thrilled to be honoring another master filmmaker who has continuously pushed the boundaries of what is possible,” Chabin added. “Whether creating turn of the century Paris in Moulin Rouge! or the jazz era in The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann and his films have become cinematic touchstones for entire eras with their totally identifiable style, signature bold colors, vivid motion and inventive camera work. With Elvis, Baz has again enthralled millions of fans with a deeply intimate and compassionate portrayal of one of our most important and beloved cultural figures, set against the backdrop of a turbulent period of change in 20th century America.”
“In his more than 200 films, Harold Lloyd was passionate about using his creative teams and the latest technology to empower his storytelling in the service of entertaining his millions of fans,” said Suzanne Lloyd, chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. “This year marks the 100th anniversary of his most famous and groundbreaking production, Safety Last!, so I am thrilled to honor Baz Luhrmann with this award in Harold’s honor at such a relevant time. Like in many powerful scenes from Mr. Luhrmann’s films, the iconic scene of Harold Lloyd dangling off a clock on a skyscraper above city traffic in Safety Last! not only entertained audiences around the world, but also managed to imprint itself on them in a meaningful way – and made history. The film, like many of Mr. Luhrmann’s films, illuminated something deeper about the zeitgeist of the world at the time, and simultaneously, it represented a bold new forefront for technical, emotional, and memorable cinematic achievement. Harold was a cheerleader for the groundbreaking directors and creatives who followed him. I know he would simply be thrilled that Baz Luhrmann is our 2023 recipient.”
Previous recipients of The Harold Lloyd Lumiere Award include Denis Villeneuve, Martin Scorsese, Ang Lee, Jon Favreau, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Victoria Alonso, James Cameron, James Mangold and others. Tom Cruise presented the 2019 award to director Christopher McQuarrie.
The Lumiere Awards have been presented over the last decade to the industry’s most respected creative and technical leaders. In addition to awards for motion pictures, episodic and new media content, the society this year will bestow awards for best musical motion picture, best musical scene or performance, and best immersive audio.
