HOLLYWOOD SCENE
Penn Family Receives 5th AFI Associates’
Prestigious Platinum Circle Award
By Oliver Carnay

Benicio Del Toro, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson,
among others, celebrated family’s legacy

AFI Honorary Committee Clint Eastwood with Platinum Circle Award recipient Sean Penn during last Friday's ceremony held at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Los Angeles, CA -- The AFI Associates of the American Film Institute presented its Platinum Circle Award to the multi-talented Penn family last Friday, October 1s, at a lively and emotional luncheon at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Accepting the award were the matriarch of the family, actress Eileen Ryan Penn; singer and composer Michael Penn, his wife, Academy Award®-nominated singer and composer Aimee Mann; Academy Award®-winning actor Sean Penn and his wife, actress and producer Robin Wright Penn; and actor Chris Penn.

The program also included a moving tribute by Martin Sheen to the Penn family patriarch, producer, writer, director and actor Leo Penn.

The award presentation ceremony also included tributes from Stockard Channing, Peter Falk, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Matt Palmieri, Suzanne Pleshette, and Brett Ratner.

The Platinum Circle Honorary Committee was chaired by Robert De Niro, Clint and Dina Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, and Martin and Janet Sheen.

Among the 600 attendees of the luncheon were Patricia Barry, Jim Caviezel, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, Stephen Dorff, Clint Eastwood, Martin Landau, Mike Medavoy, Jack Nicholson, Daniel Petrie Jr., Mark Rydell, Dick Van Dyke and Steven Zaillian.

In celebration of the Associates' 20-year anniversary, Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn was also on hand to proclaim October 1st, 2004 "AFI Associates Day" in the City of Los Angeles.

The prestigious Platinum Circle Award is given to a family whose creative contributions significantly enhance the entertainment community. Previous recipients include the families of Daniel and Dorothea Petrie, Henry Fonda, Debbie Reynolds and Walter Matthau. Proceeds benefit the programs of the American Film Institute.

The AFI Associates, formed in 1984, is celebrating its 20th anniversary year. Lead by President Lois Saffian, The Associates assist in furthering the work of AFI by providing financial support and have created several programs that enrich the Institute. [Photos courtesy of www.afi.com]

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