BAFTA/LA TO HONOR DENZEL WASHINGTON WITH THE STANLEY KUBRICK BRITANNIA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Los Angeles, CA, September 4, 2007 - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles (BAFTA/LA) will honor two-time Academy Award®-winning actor Denzel Washington with its most prominent film award, the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film, at the 2007 BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards on Thursday, November 1, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

“Denzel is a remarkably talented actor who always entertains the audience with the rich array of characters that he has portrayed on screen,” states Peter Morris, BAFTA/LA Chairman.  “As both an actor and director he continually takes on challenging projects and we are thrilled to honor and celebrate his immense talents.”

Washington will next be seen in “American Gangster,” directed by Ridley Scott and co-starring Russell Crowe, slated for a November release.  The film is based on the true juggernaut success story that portrays the life of a cult hero from the streets of 1970s Harlem during one of America’s biggest drug wars.  He will also direct and co-star with Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker in “The Great Debaters,” a drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Whiley College Texas who in 1935, inspired students from the school’s debate team to challenge Harvard in the national championship.

Washington has starred in over 30 films, including “Training Day” and “Glory” for which he won Academy Awards®, and he has received an additional three Academy Award® nominations for his work in “The Hurricane,” “Malcolm X” and “Cry Freedom.”  Other notable performances include “Déjà Vu,” “Man of Fire,” “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Antwone Fisher” (which was also his directorial debut), “Remember the Titans,” “John Q,” and “He’s Got Game.”

Washington began his career on the stage in New York with Joseph Papp’s Shakespeare in the Park and was quickly followed by numerous off-Broadway productions.  It was his Obie award-winning performance on stage in “A Soldier’s Play” that captured the attention of the producers of the NBC television series, “St. Elsewhere,” and he was cast in the role of Dr. Phillip Chandler.  

Serving as the bridge between the American and British entertainment communities, BAFTA/LA is a professional non-profit organization founded in California in 1987 to promote and advance original work in film, television and interactive media.

BAFTA/LA’s outreach programs benefit members and other professionals working within the entertainment industry, as well as the Los Angeles community at large. BAFTA/LA provides exclusive access to screenings, Q&A’s with talent and filmmakers, conversations with leading UK-based film and television executives, and the Heritage Archive, featuring broadcast-quality interviews with distinguished British members of the film and television industries. Educational outreach for students and the Los Angeles community includes an after-school screening program for inner-city youth at the Helen Keller Park Recreation Center and a recent partnership with FilmAid to mentor young filmmakers. Additional programs include seminars in association with local universities and festivals, scholarships for post-graduate programs, and recognizing professional and student talent with awards at film festivals throughout the U.S.

Maintaining a long tradition of recognizing the finest filmmaking and television talent, BAFTA/LA hosts a series of social networking events, including the Annual BAFTA/LA-Cunard Britannia Awards, the BAFTA Film Awards Brunch, the Annual Garden Party, and the Awards Season Film and Television Tea Parties in January and September. BAFTA/LA is affiliated with BAFTA in London, and members vote annually for the prestigious BAFTA Film Awards. BAFTA/LA also presents its annual Britannia Awards every November, where it has honored such luminaries as Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, and Martin Scorsese with the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film.