It is with great sadness that the entertainment industry mourns the loss of critically acclaimed Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin. He died at the age of eighty-seven on Wednesday August 30th, 2020.
Born in Chicago, Friedkin was an established director and producer with a directorial career spanning over fifty years. He is known for directing some of the most iconic films in cinematic history, such as The French Connection (1971), The Exorcist (1973) and Sorcerer (1977). Friedkin won two Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture with The French Connection and Best Adapted Screenplay with The Exorcist in 1973.
Friedkin’s cinematic accomplishments are still highly regarded to this day. His films are generally known for their gritty realism, his use of location as integral elements of the narrative, and exceptional shots that created a unique visual style. His style of filmmaking was heavily influenced by his background in television journalism, which can be seen in his works The Boys in the Band (1970) and Sorcerer (1977).
Throughout his illustrious career, Friedkin was nominated for four Academy Awards and was given an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes along with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America in 2011. He also received numerous awards from various other film festivals, including a National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director for The French Connection (1971) and Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Sorcerer (1977).
In his final years, Friedkin was hard at work on a series of projects including the documentary Friedkin Uncut, which revolved around his life’s work. He also spent time working on a memoir, recent projects, and served as an executive producer of the television series Varta, among many other projects.
The legacy William Friedkin has left behind is truly one of a kind. He brilliantly captured stories that were rooted in reality and delivered them to viewers with a creativity and artistry that will forever be remembered and celebrated. He will be severely missed by not only his family and friends, but by film viewers all over the world as well.
