The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) today announced that BAFTA-winning director, producer and writer David O Russell will deliver the David Lean Lecture - BAFTA's prestigious film lecture - on Saturday 19 December at BAFTA's headquarters, 195 Piccadilly in London.
The David Lean Lecture aims to inspire and inform practitioners and the public, by providing an insight into the experiences and outstanding creative achievements of some of the world's most compelling filmmakers. Previous speakers include Robert Altman, Paul Greengrass, David Lynch, Lone Scherfig, Oliver Stone and Peter Weir.
David O Russell is a two-time BAFTA-winner and five-time Oscar-nominee. Films directed by Russell have gained a total of 16 BAFTA nominations, including two each for actors Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Jennifer Lawrence, who went on to win for her role in American Hustle.
Dame Pippa Harris, Chair of the BAFTA Film Committee, said: "David O Russell is a passionate and inspirational filmmaker and we are thrilled that he has agreed to deliver this year's BAFTA David Lean Lecture. Russell's ability to coax extraordinary performances from his cast is truly exceptional, as is the range, wit, originality and sheer brilliance of the films he makes. We are extremely fortunate to have this chance to benefit from his insights into the industry."
David O Russell's first feature film, the controversial Spanking the Monkey (1994), was followed by the comedy Flirting With Disaster (1996), Gulf War thriller Three Kings (1999), existential comedy I Heart Huckabees (2004) and biographical sports drama The Fighter (2010). The Fighter received three BAFTA nominations, and was nominated for seven Oscars including Best Director for Russell and Best Picture. Two of The Fighter's stars, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for their performances.
In 2013, Russell won his first BAFTA, for Adapted Screenplay, for romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook (2012), starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. The film also received seven Oscar and four Golden Globe nominations, in both cases winning one for Lawrence's performance.
In 2014, Russell won his second BAFTA, for Original Screenplay, for American Hustle, for which he was also BAFTA-nominated for his direction. In total, the film won three BAFTAs, three Golden Globes including Best Picture, and was nominated for 10 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.
Public tickets will go on sale at 13:00 on Friday 27 November. To book tickets, go to www.bafta.org/whats-on/.
Video highlights, a podcast and a transcript from the event will be available on BAFTA Guru, BAFTA's online learning channel www.bafta.org/guru. Recordings of previous events in the series are available now.
David O Russell's next film, Joy, is a biographical comedy-drama starring previous collaborator Jennifer Lawrence, and focuses on the story of inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano. Russell wrote the screenplay, co-wrote the story, and will direct and produce the film, which will be released in the UK on 1 January 2016.
The David Lean Lecture carries on the legacy of the great director David Lean, one of the founders of the British Film Academy (as it was then known) in 1947 and a continuing inspiration to many through his exceptional body of work. The Lecture is generously funded by The David Lean Foundation, which continues to support and encourage excellence in British film making.
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