JAMES L. BROOKS TO RECEIVE
CINEMACON® AWARD ON APRIL 3
20th Century Studios to release
Ella McCay on Septemebr 19, 2025
LAS VEGAS (March 31, 2025) – Oscar® and Emmy Award® winner James L. Brooks will receive this year’s CinemaCon® Cinema Vérité Award, it was announced today by CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United and the world’s largest gathering of exhibitors, being held March 31-April 3 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Brooks will be presented with this special honor as part of The Walt Disney Studios presentation taking place on the afternoon of Thursday, April 3, in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
“If anyone embodies the essence of authentic filmmaking, it’s James L. Brooks,” noted Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon, “as his filmography represents a heartfelt cinema of truth. Over the past six decades, he has directed films such as Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good as It Gets that have made moviegoing audiences around the world laugh, cry and reflect on life in ways that are undeniably honest. As a producer, he brought us passionate films like Big, Say Anything..., and Jerry Maguire. We could not be more honored to present the Cinema Vérité Award to a filmmaker who continues to create stories that speak to the very heart of who we are.”
20th Century Studios will bring Ella McCay exclusively to theatres on September 19, 2025. Written and directed by Brooks, Ella McCay is a new comedy about the complicated politics that arise when a young woman’s stressful career clashes with her chaotic family life. The film features an all-star cast including Emma Mackey, Woody Harrelson, Kumail Nanjiani, Spike Fearn, Ayo Edebiri, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Jack Lowden, Becky Ann Baker, and Joey Brooks, with Albert Brooks, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It is produced by James L. Brooks, Richard Sakai, Julie Ansell, and Jennifer Simchowitz.
Three-time Academy Award winner and twenty-two-time Emmy Award winning director, producer, and screenwriter James L. Brooks started his career at CBS as an usher, before writing for the network’s news broadcast. His first major successes came on television where he created such iconic series as Room 222, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, Lou Grant, and Taxi. His film debut came with Starting Over and led to his work on films such as Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good as It Gets. Brooks won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Terms of Endearment, and received Best Director nominations for Broadcast News and As Good as It Gets. Other notable films he produced include Big, Say Anything..., The War of the Roses, Bottle Rocket, Spanglish, The Simpsons Movie, How Do You Know, The Edge of Seventeen, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and Icebox. In 1984 he founded Gracie Films, producing the Emmy Award winning The Tracey Ullman Show and launching The Simpsons.
With a legacy spanning over six decades, James L. Brooks remains one of the most influential figures in entertainment, celebrated for his unparalleled contributions to both television and film. His recent induction as a Disney Legend in 2024 underscores his significant impact on the world of storytelling and entertainment. His list of accolades also includes two Peabody Awards and Writers Guild Laurel Awards for his work in both Motion Pictures and Television.
In addition to his personal successes, James is also known for his mentorship of emerging talent, especially when it comes to working with first-time writers, producers and directors. His reputation and commitment to help to bring new voices into the entertainment industry is evident in his work with Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket), Cameron Crowe (Say Anything...), and Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen), among many others.
(photo by Charley Gallay)
About Cinema United
Founded in 1948, Cinema United is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 31,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 30,000 screens in 80 countries worldwide. Its membership includes theatres of all sizes, from the largest cinema chains to one-screen theatres in cities and towns around the world. For additional information, please visit cinemaunited.org.
About CinemaCon®
CinemaCon attracts upwards of six thousand motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry -- from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas -- all on hand to celebrate the moviegoing experience and the cinema industry. CinemaCon works with the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its trade show partners. The Coca-Cola Company –- one of the industry’s most highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies -– is its official presenting sponsor.
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