PROFILE
2021 VES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT WINNER SIR PETER JACKSON: A PROLIFIC FILMMAKER COMING FULL CIRCLE
By NAOMI GOLDMAN
Images courtesy of Peter Jackson TOP: Sir Peter Jackson, VES Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. OPPOSITE TOP: With Braindead miniatures.
Taking us from Skull Island to Middle Earth to the World War I battlefield to breakfast with the Beatles, Sir Peter Jackson has created cinematic experiences that have transported and transfixed audiences worldwide. One of the most innovative filmmakers of our generation, acclaimed director-producer-screenwriter Jackson has created exceptionally humanistic stories through his visionary approach, expansive storytelling and embrace of technology to enhance the movie going experience. Jackson made history with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, becoming the first person to direct three major feature films simultaneously. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King collected a slew of awards from around the globe – including 12 VES Awards across the trilogy, with The Return of the King receiving his most impressive collection of awards, including three Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, three BAFTAs, and awards from the Directors Guild and Producers Guild. His celebrated filmography includes Heavenly Creatures, King Kong, The Lovely Bones, the three-film adaptation of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the acclaimed They Shall Not Grow Old and the forthcoming The Beatles: Get Back documentary, slated for release this summer. In recognition of his enormous contributions to filmed entertainment, Jackson was honored at the 19th Annual VES Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award. On that note, Jackson was clear: “If I was ever going to be honored for my lifetime of work, I would have chosen the VES award, because the dream of making
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