Francis Ford Coppola has been honoured with the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, the American Film Institute's highest accolade. The 86-year-old filmmaker, known for "The Godfather" franchise, "Apocalypse Now" and "Megalopolis", received the award from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

At the ceremony, veteran actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro paid tribute. Pacino, 85, recalled almost being fired from "The Godfather" before Coppola fought for him, thanking him for believing in him more than he believed in himself. De Niro, 81, said not being cast in the first film allowed him to star in "The Godfather Part II", changing his career and life.

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Spielberg praised "The Godfather" as the "greatest American film ever made", while Lucas admired Coppola's fearless spirit.

Other celebrities such as Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, Spike Lee, and Diane Lane also shared their admiration for the filmmaker. Past AFI honourees include Orson Welles, Meryl Streep, and Denzel Washington.