Steven Spielberg has been named the honoree for the Museum of Modern Art's Film Benefit, presented by Chanel. The gala will be held at the New York institution on November 12.
MoMA will host a screening series celebrating Spielberg's work in the Roy and Niuta Titus theaters. Eight Spielberg films are held in the museum's collection: The Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Color Purple and Empire of the Sun.
Rajendra Roy, MoMA's Celeste Bartos chief curator of film, said the museum's connection with Spielberg dates back more than five decades, beginning with his introduction to audiences through the New Directors/New Films program in 1974. "His global influence is unparalleled, and his dedication to film preservation is inspiring and completely aligned with the Museum's mission to save and celebrate film history," Roy said.
Spielberg joins previous honorees including Sofia Coppola, Samuel L. Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Penélope Cruz and others. Chanel has sponsored MoMA's annual Film Benefit since 2011 and has served as the lead sponsor of film at the museum since 2021.
MoMA's Department of Film maintains a collection of more than 30,000 films and 1.5 million film stills. The fundraiser supports the continued maintenance and growth of the collection as well as virtual programming and film series, premieres, festivals and retrospectives.
