Dustin Hoffman to Receive Hollywood Film Awards 'Breakthrough Director' Prize

ABOUT Dustin Hoffman :
Dustin Hoffman has long harbored a desire to direct a film, and having only ever done so on stage, he can officially call himself a Director this year with the release of his first feature film "QUARTET." Debuting at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, "QUARTET" stars Dame Maggie Smith , Sir Tom Courtenay , Pauline Collins , Billy Connolly , and Sir Michael Gambon . Based on the play by Ronald Harwood , the film follows four retired opera singers as they attempt to put on a concert to save their beloved home -- and celebrate Verdi's birthday in the process. Of his experience with the first time director, Connolly explains, "Dustin's a brilliant director because he's such a brilliant actor, so he directs like an actor." "QUARTET" is due out in limited release on December 28.

With a career spanning more than five decades in front of the camera, Dustin Hoffman is one of the world's most accomplished and highly regarded actors. Garnering 2 Academy Awards (and 7 nominations), 5 Golden Globes, 4 BAFTAs and an EMMY, Hoffman's impressive resume boasts such critically acclaimed and commercial hits as "THE GRADUATE," "ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN," "RAINMAN," "MIDNIGHT COWBOY," "KRAMER VS. KRAMER," "TOOTSIE," "WAG THE DOG," "MEET THE FOCKERS," and "LAST CHANCE HARVEY. "

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ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS
The Hollywood Film Awards were created to honor excellence in the art of filmmaking, both in front of and behind the camera, and launch the awards season. The criteria is: recipients are selected to be honored for their body of work and/or a film(s) that is to be released between January 1 and December 31 by an advisory team. In addition, for the recipients of our "film awards craft categories" (aside from evaluating their body of work), our Advisory team takes into consideration the recommendation of their guilds/societies. Last year alone, our recipients received 12 nominations and 5 Oscars. In the last 9 years, a total of 85 Oscar nominations and 32 Oscars were given to our honorees.

The Hollywood Film Awards are presented in conjunction with Presenting Sponsor the Los Angeles Times, Premier sponsors ArcLight Cinemas and Hollywoodnews.com, exclusive Regional Print Media sponsor Los Angeles Confidential and trade Media sponsors the Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Special support is provided by American Cinema Editors - A.C.E., American Society of Cinematographers - A.S.C., The Art Directors Guild - A.D.G., Celebrity Services, The Casting Society of America - CSA, Costume Designers Guild - CDG, Columbia Pictures, Creative Artists Agency, DreamWorks SKG, Entertainment Tonight, Focus Features, Fox Searchlight, ICM, ILM, Motion Picture Editors Guild, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., The Weinstein Company, WME. Getty Image is the Official Photography Agency.

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