Alejandro G. Iñárritu Presented With Vanguard Leadership Award At Sundance Benefit

At the fifth Sundance Institute Celebration benefit hosted by Acura and held at 3 Labs in Los Angeles, Mexican director, Alejandro González Iñárritu was presented with the award for Vanguard Leadership Award for the “originality and independent spirit” of his films, including “Amores Perros,” “21 Grams,” “Babel,” “Biutiful” and last year's “Birdman.” After winning a record-breaking number of 3 Academy Awards this year, Iñárritu continues to feel humbled by the honors he’s received for his career, “I don’t deserve an award for what I do with joy and freely, but I thank you for it,” insisted the Mexican filmmaker.

Iñárritu became the first Mexican director to ever be nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for “Babel.” Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam explained earlier this year, how the current health and vibrancy of independent film is shown in the work of director “who continue to push and break boundaries.” Putnam went on to say, “Alejandro G. Iñárritu is among the most creative and innovative filmmakers working today, and the boldness, humanity and audacity of his films will inspire generations to come.”

Along with Iñárritu, the Vanguard Award was Marielle Heller, writer-director of “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” which premiered to raving reviews at the festival. In his acceptance speech, the “Birdman” director said, “Sundance is the real vanguard,” and went on to invite his peers to “protect the importance of culture. Art is created because the world is not perfect.”