Los Angeles (USA), Apr 28 (LaPresse) – The annual AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony is always a starry night in Hollywood, but last Saturday's at the Dolby Theatre brought together legendary stars from a seemingly bygone era of cinema to honour Francis Ford Coppola. Steven Spielberg, Robert De Niro and George Lucas were among the stars who sang Coppola's praises. A founding member of the American Film Institute, Coppola's recognition by the organisation represented a sort of closing of the circle moment for the director of films such as ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Godfather’. Coppola was the 50th recipient of the award, which was first given to John Ford in 1973. Steven Spielberg proclaimed ‘The Godfather’ the ‘greatest American film ever made’, Robert De Niro jokingly complained that he was chosen for the sequel and not the original, and Harrison Ford held back tears thinking back to his role in the 1974 film ‘The Conversation’.