American Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin, known for films such as “The French Connection’, “The Exorcist’ and “Rules of Engagement’, has been named Officer, Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture.
Only four other American directors have been bestowed this honour – Mel Brooks (“Young Frankenstein’, “Silent Movie’, “High Anxiety’), Clint Eastwood (“Mystic River’, “Million Dollar Baby’, “Letters from Iwo Jima’), Gordon Parks (“Shaft’, “Shaft’s Big Score’, “Lead Belly’) and Robert Redford (“Ordinary People’, “The Horse Whisperer’, “Quiz Show’).
Friedkin said in a statement that he was especially honoured because of “the profound influence’ French cinema had on all the filmmakers of his generation. (Source: Studio Briefing)
