Bob and Harvey Weinstein are the winners of the 2013 Milestone Award, handed out each year by the Producers Guild of America for achievements in and contributions to the entertainment industry.
The co-chairmen and co-founders of the Weinstein Company will receive the award at next year’s Producers Guild Awards, set for Jan. 26.
“Bob and Harvey consistently seek out, nurture and help bring audiences the stories that others are often afraid to tell,” Michael DeLuca, national board member and awards chair of the PGA, said in a statement.
“Bob and Harvey’s brave dedication to emerging producers and other storytellers have virtually redefined the term ‘independent film,’ making it possible for some of our culture’s most vital stories to break out from the shadows of smaller arthouse theaters into the bright light of large multiplexes around the globe.”
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Before starting the Weinstein Company, distributor of the last two Oscar winners for Best Picture — “The King’s Speech” and “The Artist” — they founded Miramax, where they oversaw classics such as “Pulp Fiction” and “The English Patient.” They also operate Dimension Films, a genre label founded by Bob in 1993.
"The King's Speech" and "The Artist" also won the last two awards for feature film production from the PGA.
Past winners of the Milestone Award include Clint Eastwood, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, Walt Disney and James Cameron.
“We couldn’t be more thankful to our fellow producers and the many predecessors who’ve inspired us and guided the independent film world to its present state,” the brothers said in a statement.
“It is easy to be dedicated to something you love. Without our peers who’ve joined us in taking chances on the first time director or the unknown talent, and without the curious audiences who take chances on the movie with subtitles or better yet, no sound or color, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”