Washington, April 27 -- The American Film Institute (AFI) celebrated the illustrious career of Francis Ford Coppola with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.

The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, brought together Hollywood legends to honour Coppola's contributions to American cinema.

Steven Spielberg and George Lucas presented Coppola with the award, praising his fearlessness and openness to ideas.

As per Variety, Spielberg called Coppola "a warrior for independent artists" and cited 'The Godfather' as "the greatest American film ever made."

Lucas, who considers Coppola his hero, recalled their lifelong bond and Coppola's advice to "not be afraid of jumping off cliffs," as quoted by Variety.

Coppola's filmography in...