A Sweet Surprise

"This is better than March Madness,” exclaimed AFI President and CEO Jean Pickler Firstenberg upon entering Spago on Thursday, where over 80, mostly female, peers greeted her with a hearty "Surprise!" The American Film Institute and its Directing Workshop For Women, along with the Alliance of Women Directors and AFI Associates honored Firstenberg, who will retire later this year, for her illustrious career as well as her birthday on St. Patrick's day.

After accepting a memory book containing various photos and letters, including a touching note from Maya Angelou, Firstenberg, who has been AFI prexy since 1980, took the podium. She said that the idea for the directing workshop came from Mathilde Krim, an Israeli research scientist who worked at the Rockefeller Institute in New York. Krim started the program in 1974 with a $30,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. “I’ve always tried to carry on her work,” said Firstenberg. “I will cherish this day and I am thrilled with this award,” she said, referring to AFI’s creation of the Jean Picker Firstenberg Award for Excellence, which will be given annually to one DWW participant. Only eight women a year are accepted into the prestigious program.

The luncheon ended on an inspirational note. “If you have stories you need to tell, there are stories we need to hear. Artists are the ones who will lead the way, lead us out of this darkness and help us help each other. I’m honored that my name is at the end of your movies,” said a proud Firstenberg. (J. Sneider)