Ben Affleck Will Receive the Inaugural Visionary Icon and Creator Tribute at the Gotham Awards (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “Air” director, producer and star Ben Affleck will receive the first-ever Gotham Visionary Icon and Creator Tribute at this year’s Gotham Awards ceremony.
The tribute award was created for this year’s ceremony to recognize cultural icons and the filmmakers responsible for bringing those icon’s stories to life.
The Gotham will honor the visionaries behind the Michael Jordan partnership and celebrate Affleck’s film. Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories. “Both gripping and hilarious, ‘Air’ is a deeply refreshing reminder to the film industry that audiences respond to smart, original narratives,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “By capturing the dramatic story behind the most monumental partnership in the history of sports marketing, the film highlights the power of knowing your worth and using that knowledge to take the right risks.
We are privileged to honor both the story behind a legend and the ‘Air’ team who brought that story to life with the Visionary Icon & Creator Tribute.” Set in 1984, “Air” tells the inspiring story behind the game-changing partnership between then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s struggling basketball division, which completely disrupted the industry by creating the revolutionary Air Jordan brand.
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