ASC To Honour Denzel Washington

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has announced it will honour director and actor Denzel Washington during the 31st ASC Awards in February 2017. The organisation will present Washington with their Board of Governors Award.

The award is bestowed upon individuals in the industry whose work has made "significant and indelible contributions to cinema". It is the only ASC Award not given to a cinematographer.

Washington made his directorial debut in 2002 with Antwone Fisher. His second feature, The Great Debaters, followed in 2007. His current project is the critically acclaimed film Fences, written by August Wilson and based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which will be released on Christmas Day. In addition to producing and directing the movie, Washington reprises his original Tony Award-winning role alongside Viola Davis.

Kees van Oostrum, president, ASC, said: "Denzel Washington is an amazing director and actor, and a conscious force in these challenging times. A true artist is empowered by the era they live in, and he expresses an awareness of the world around us through his work. It is that strength of character that we honor with the ASC Governors Award."

Image: Director Denzel Washington on the set of Fences from Paramount Pictures from a screenplay by August Wilson. (Photo credit: David Lee / © 2016 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.)

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(JP/LM)