The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) to honor filmmaker Shawn Levy with the 2024 Helen Keller Achievement Award for his outstanding work in breaking down barriers for people with disabilities. The award will be presented during a special ceremony on April 18 in Los Angeles.
Levy is best known for directing the Night at the Museum movies and producing the Netflix series Stranger Things. He also directed and produced the critically acclaimed series “All the Light We Cannot See”, which debuted in November. It’s a series based on a bestselling novel, written by American author Anthony Doerr, and got many award nominations, like Golden Globe, DGA Award, and PGA Award.
All the Light We Cannot See is about Marie-Laure Leblanc, a young French woman who is blind and actively contributes to the resistance during the Nazi occupation of France through her radio broadcasts. The series features blind actors Aria Mia Loberti and Nell Sutton in prominent roles, who make the series more authentic and representative.
AFB praised Levy’s efforts in promoting inclusion and diversity both on screen and behind the scenes. “Shawn Levy is a visionary filmmaker who has used his platform to amplify the voices and stories of people with disabilities. He has shown that disability is not a barrier to creativity, excellence, or success. He has also demonstrated a commitment to hiring and mentoring people with disabilities in the entertainment industry, creating more opportunities and visibility for this underrepresented group,” said Kirk Adams, AFB’s president and CEO.
Levy thanked AFB for the award. “Humbled by this. Every project teaches me something, but this one taught me more than most. Thank you to Aria, Nell and Joe for being my guides,” he said.
The Helen Keller Achievement Award was established in 1994 by AFB to celebrate and promote the notable achievements of individuals and organizations that have improved the quality of life for people with disabilities. Previous recipients include Apple, Google, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Marlee Matlin.
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