Outfest Legacy Awards To Honor Shankman, Lifetime

Filmmaker-choreographer Adam Shankman and progressive television network Lifetime will be honored at the Outfest Legacy Awards this Thursday in Los Angeles.

Shankman will receive the Visionary Award in recognition of his contribution to LGBT arts and media visibility, while Lifetime will be honored with the Guardian Award for the network's commitment, support, and positive depictions of LGBT characters and individuals.

"We couldn't be more delighted to honor two friends, partners, and longtime supporters of Outfest," says Kirsten Schaffer, the organization's executive director, says in a statement released to media. "Adam Shankman's body of work has been inspirational and meaningful to so many in our community. From directing films and TV shows like Hairspray, Glee, and Prop 8: The Musical, to his choreography in everything from Tank Girl to Boogie Nights, Adam's singular achievements have had a profound impact on the LGBT community and make him an ideal recipient of the Visionary Award."

Schaffer adds, "Lifetime reaches a vast mainstream audience, making it one of the gay community's most valuable allies. Through both its scripted and unscripted programming, including Prayers for Bobby, Project Runway, and Drop Dead Diva, Lifetime offers richly diverse portrayals of LGBT people that help Americans better understand and accept our community."

The event is a fundraiser for the Outfest Legacy Project for LGBT Film Preservation, a collaboration between Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which is the only program in the world devoted to saving and preserving LGBT moving images. Among the first projects for restoration are such rite-of-passage films as Word Is Out and Parting Glances.

To purchase tickets or for more information on the event, visit Outfest.org.

Watch a video that explains the project below.