Michael Mann to Receive Lumière Award at Lyon Festival

Renowned American filmmaker Michael Mann, best known for classics like The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, and The Insider, has been announced as the recipient of this year’s prestigious Lumière Award. He will be honoured at the 17th edition of the Lumière Festival, set to take place in Lyon from 11 to 19 October, with the award ceremony scheduled for 17 October.

The Lumière Award celebrates a filmmaker's entire body of work and their contribution to the legacy of cinema. The Institut Lumière highlighted Mann’s four-decade-long career, praising his impactful films such as Manhunter, Collateral, and Heat, and his work with iconic actors like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Daniel Day-Lewis.

Festival director Thierry Frémaux described Mann as “a major artist” whose influence on cinema is enduring. Calling the honour both a “dream” and a “source of pride,” Frémaux lauded Mann’s distinctive style and deep engagement with cinematic history.

Mann previously attended the festival in 2017 for a special screening of Heat presented by Guillermo del Toro. Reacting to the news, Mann expressed enthusiasm: “The previous Lumière with Guillermo was a brilliant night. Pure cinema... I’m in.”

Following the premiere of Ferrari at Venice in 2023, Mann is currently preparing Heat 2, the much-anticipated sequel to his 1995 crime drama.

Mann joins an esteemed group of past Lumière Award recipients, including Martin Scorsese, Jane Fonda, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, Tim Burton, and last year’s honouree, Isabelle Huppert.