Princess Grace Foundation-USA to present James Cameron with Prince Rainier III Award

NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) is proud to announce that filmmaker James Cameron will accept the distinguished Prince Rainier III Award for his outstanding contributions to the arts and his exemplary give-back.   Mr. Cameron will be honored at the Princess Grace Awards Gala in Beverly Hills on October 25, 2017.  The Foundation will also introduce the Stephen Hillenburg Animation Scholarship, a gift awarded annually in support of emerging animators in the film category.  The evening will include a special dance performance by past Princess Grace Award winners Michelle Dorrance, Jason Samuels Smith, and Joseph Wiggan.

The 2017 Princess Grace Awards Gala celebrates the Foundation's 35^th Anniversary and continues the legacy of Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco, who helped emerging artists pursue their artistic goals during Her lifetime. In total, the Foundation is awarding over $1 million to artists in theater, dance, and film. In the presence of Their Serene Highnesses The Prince and The Princess of Monaco, the evening is co-chaired by Wallis Annenberg and Katia and Sidney Toledano. Major Gala supporters include: Christian Dior Couture as Presenting Sponsor, and The Annenberg Foundation and Karen and Rod Gancas as Crown Sponsors.

The Prince Rainier III Award recognizes a renowned leader in the arts whose own accomplishments are coupled with demonstrated service to their community.  Past recipients of the Award include Julie Andrews, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Glenn Close, Queen Latifah, George Lucas, Mandy Patinkin, Sibylle and Robert Redford, Twyla Tharp, Pauletta and Denzel Washington, Cicely Tyson, and Dick Van Dyke.  The Prince Rainier III Award includes a grant of $25,000 to the philanthropic organization of the recipient's choice and a uniquely designed sculpture by artist Alex Soldier.  Soldier designed a stunning work of art incorporating symbols representing all three disciplines lauded by the Foundation: theater, dance, and film.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco said, "It is my distinct privilege to present the Prince Rainier III Award to James Cameron.  He is one of Hollywood's most iconic filmmakers and dedicated philanthropists.  His revolutionary work has transformed the film industry and at the same time he has helped explore the deepest parts of the oceans to help advance science and protect our most vital resources.  There is no one more fitting to receive this accolade."

PGF-USA is also thrilled to announce the Stephen Hillenburg Animation Award.  Karen and Stephen Hillenburg have endowed the Foundation with a gift which will encourage and assist future animators to develop and hone their crafts.  Stephen, the creator of "SpongeBob SquarePants," received his Princess Grace Award in 1991 and a Statue Award in 2002.  He is the first Princess Grace Award winner to honor the Foundation with the gift of such a scholarship. 

PGF-USA Executive Director Toby Boshak said:  "We are so grateful to Stephen and Karen for graciously endowing the Foundation with this generous gift, allowing emerging animators to thrive in the same way Stephen did upon receiving his Princess Grace Award.  We have enthusiastically watched his career skyrocket, becoming one of the most successful animators in history and creator of one of the most beloved cartoon characters, 'SpongeBob SquarePants.' We couldn't be more pleased to announce this new and exciting award." 

In addition, to James Cameron's Prince Rainier III Award, past Princess Grace Award winners, screenwriter Bridget Carpenter and choreographer Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards will receive 2017 Princess Grace Statue Awards for their continuing excellence in their chosen disciplines.

ABOUT JAMES CAMERON

James Cameron is an acclaimed film-maker and explorer.  As director, writer and producer he is responsible for some of the most memorable films of the past three decades: THE TERMINATOR, ALIENS, THE ABYSS, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, TRUE LIES, TITANIC, and AVATAR. 

AVATAR is the highest grossing film in history with over $2.7 billion in global box office, beating the previous record holder, Cameron's own film TITANIC, which held that record for 12 years.  Cameron's films have also earned numerous nominations and awards, most notably TITANIC's 14 Academy Award nominations (a record) and 11 Oscars (also a record), including Cameron's own 3 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Direction and Best Editing.  Both TITANIC and AVATAR won the Golden Globe for Best Director and Best Picture.  AVATAR was nominated for 9 Academy Awards and won 3.

Over the last 17 years Cameron developed cutting edge 3D camera systems for movies and documentaries, as well as for broadcast sports and special events. He was at the vanguard of the 3D renaissance that has transformed the movie industry in recent years.  He also developed unprecedented deep ocean exploration vehicles, lighting and 3D camera equipment. Most recently, Cameron led his eighth deep ocean expedition to some of the deepest trenches in the world. On March 26, 2012, he set the world's solo deep diving record of 35,787' in the Challenger Deep in a vehicle of his own design. 

Cameron is a National Geographic Explorer in Residence, and recipient of their most prestigious award, the Hubbard Medal, as well as the Explorer's Club medal for Explorer of the Year.

Cameron is also passionately involved in sustainability issues, having founded the Avatar Alliance Foundation to take action on climate change, energy policy, deforestation, indigenous rights, ocean conservation and sustainable agriculture. His production company, Lightstorm Entertainment, installed a 1-megawatt solar array on the roofs of their soundstages at Manhattan Beach Studios, to generate all the power for the Avatar sequels.  James and Suzy Amis Cameron, both environmental vegans, founded the Plant Power Taskforce to promote awareness of the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and climate.

He is currently in production on Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5.

ABOUT STEPHEN HILLENBURG

Stephen Hillenburg is the creator and Executive Producer of the Emmy Award-winning animated "SpongeBob SquarePants" Nickelodeon television series, now in its tenth season, and has written, directed and produced the SpongeBob movies.  In 1992, Hillenburg graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a master's degree in experimental animation.  He received a Princess Grace Award for film in 1991 and a Princess Grace Statue Award in 2002. Prior to his career in animation, Hillenburg taught marine biology at the Ocean Institute at Dana Point, California.

ABOUT THE PRINCESS GRACE FOUNDATION – USA

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is a non-profit, publicly-supported foundation, headquartered in New York City and founded 35 years ago by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to honor his wife, Princess Grace's [Kelly] legacy.  The Foundation's mission is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships.  Since the Foundation's inception, nearly 800 recipients have been awarded. Some notable Princess Grace Awards recipients in Film include: Emmy Award winner Cary Fukunaga director of  "True Detective," Beasts of No Nation and Jane Eyre; Jon M. Chu director of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Now You See Me 2 and upcoming Crazy Rich Asians; and Stephen Hillenburg, creator of "SpongeBob SquarePants." Theater recipients include: Tony Award winner for Best Direction of a Play, Anna D. Shapiro; Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright Tony Kushner; and Golden Globe-winning actor Oscar Isaac.  Dance/Choreography recipients include: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle; American Ballet Theatre's Gillian Murphy and Isabella Boylston and New York City Ballet's Tiler Peck; as well as choreographers Kyle Abraham and Michelle Dorrance. 

The Princess Grace Awards Ceremony is produced by Scott Mauro Entertainment, Inc/ Scott H. Mauro, Executive Producer for the 11th year.

For more information about the Princess Grace Awards program, please visit www.pgfusa.org

Media Contact: Lauren Auslander/ LUNA* 310/730-8003 * [email protected]

SOURCE The Princess Grace Foundation-USA

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