George Eastman Award
Jodie Foster, 2023
Julia Roberts, 2019
Michael Keaton, 2016
Michael Douglas, 2015
Richard Gere
Audrey Hepburn
Isabella Rossellini
Roger Corman
James Stewart
Joan Bennett
Established by the museum in 1955 to recognize individuals for their distinguished contribution to the art of film, the George Eastman Award was the first film award given by a US cultural institution to honor artistic work of enduring value. The first two presentations of the award in 1955 and 1957, known as the Festival of Film Artists, recognized the legends of the silent film era (1915–1930).
Since then, the George Eastman Award has evolved to recognize a range of artistic talent in the film industry. The award is held in high regard among those who have been honored, including early recipient Buster Keaton, who considered the Eastman Award to be more prestigious than an Oscar.
| Recipients | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rita Moreno | Actor |
| 2024 | Goldie Hawn | Actor, director, producer |
| 2023 | Jodie Foster | Actor, director, producer |
| 2019 | Julia Roberts | Actor, producer |
| 2017 | Vittorio Storaro | Cinematographer |
| 2016 | Michael Keaton | Actor |
| 2015 | Michael Douglas | Actor, producer |
| 2013 | Roger Corman | Director, producer, distributor |
| 2012 | Richard Gere | Actor, activist |
| 2003 | Kim Novak | Actor |
| 1999 | Meryl Streep | Actor |
| 1997 | Isabella Rossellini | Actor |
| 1994 | Martin Scorsese | Filmmaker |
| 1992 | Audrey Hepburn | Actor |
| 1990 | Lauren Bacall | Actor |
| 1987 | Gregory Peck | Actor |
| 1982 | Joan Bennett Louise Brooks Dolores Del Rio Myrna Loy Maureen O'Sullivan Luise Rainer Sylvia Sidney | Actors |
| 1978 | James Stewart Willard Van Dyke | Actor Director |
| 1976 | George Cukor Karl Struss | Director Cinematographer |
| 1975 | Blanche Sweet | Actor |
| 1973 | Johnny Weissmuller | Actor |
| 1965 | Fred Astaire | Actor |
Festival of Film Artists
| Actors | Directors | Cinematographers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Richard Barthelmess Clara Bow Charles Chaplin Maurice Chevalier Ronald Colman Gary Cooper Joan Crawford Greta Garbo Janet Gaynor Lillian Gish Harold Lloyd Fredric March Ramon Navarro Mary Pickford William Powell Norma Shearer Gloria Swanson | Frank Borzage Clarence Brown Frank Capra Cecil B. DeMille John Ford Frank Lloyd King Vidor Josef von Sternberg | William Daniels Arthur Edeson George Folsey Lee Garmes James Wong Howe Peverell Marley Hal Mohr Charles Rosher |
| 1955 | Richard Barthelmess Charles Chaplin Ronald Colman Lillian Gish Buster Keaton Harold Lloyd Mae Marsh Mary Pickford Gloria Swanson Norma Talmadge | Frank Borzage Cecil B. DeMille John Ford Henry King Marshall Neilan | Arthur Edeson Lee Garmes Charles Rosher Hal Rosson John Seitz |