The honors will be presented at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center.
“The Governors Awards allow us to reflect upon not the year in film,but the achievements of a lifetime,” Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said. “We’re absolutely thrilled to honor these outstanding members of our global filmmaking community and look forward to celebrating with them in November.”
The Hersholt Award honors “an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.”
Belafonte was chosen for his work on films focusing on racism and inequality, such as “Carmen Jones,” “Odds Against Tomorrow” and “The World, the Flesh and the Devil,” according to the Academy. He was also selected for his vocal participation in the civil rights movement and his work on behalf of UNICEF, the Advancement Project and the Institute for Policy Studies.
The honorary awards – Oscar statuettes – honor “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”
