Mike Nichols

The legendary Mike Nichols, director of Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolf?, The Graduate, Catch 22, Silkwood and much more besides, will receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award next summer. Couldn't be more deserved.

"His artistry has spanned the mediums of modern storytelling — movies, television and the stage — and his gifts across five decades continue to inspire artists and audiences alike," said Sir Howard Stringer, chair of the AFI board, in a statement.

I remember interviewing Steven Soderbergh around the time of Solaris when he was talking about taking a short break from filmmaking to write two books, one on the final season of The Sorpranos and one on Mike Nichols. Neither materialised, but he and Soderbergh share a commentary track on the DVD of Catch 22 which is well worth a listen.