The French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, will confer American-Indian film producer Ashok Amritraj with the Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters).
He will also be awarded the French distinction of ‘Order National Du Merite’, by the president of The French Republic, tomorrow in Mumbai.
An official press release read that the distinction by the French government is awarded to “persons who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the field of art, culture and literature or for their contribution to the influence of arts in France and throughout the world.”
Amritraj thanked the French government and said, “This award is a tribute to the growing cooperation between the film industries of France and India — an idea whose time has come.” Alexandre Ziegler, the ambassador of France in India also congratulated him.
Amritraj is a tennis player, a Hollywood producer and the first UN India Goodwill Ambassador for the 17 SDGs. He has made over 100 films with worldwide revenues in excess of $2 billion. He is chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment Group, and the former head of National Geographic Films.
Amritraj has partnered with major studios in Hollywood, produced films starring Bruce Willis, Sandra Bullock, Sylvester Stallone, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Dustin Hoffman, Andrew Garfield, Steve Martin, Antonio Banderas, Robert De Niro, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Jennifer Aniston, Nicolas Cage, and others.
Recommended
His famous productions include Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Bringing Down the House, Walking Tall, 99 Homes and Blue Valentine.
He has been on the Foreign Film Board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was a member of the Los Angeles Board for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and was on the International Council for the Emmy Awards.
In 2015, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of the Arts from the University of East London. In addition to working with UEL, he is currently a part of the advisory board for the Dodge Film School at Chapman University.