This past Friday, October 6, 2017, Professor Emeritus Richard Abel received the Jean Mitry Award at the Giornate del Cinema Muto/Silent Film Festival in Pordenone, Italy.

Established in 1986, this international Award was named in 1989 in memory of Jean Mitry, the celebrated French film historian and the Giornate's first Honorary President. The annual award honors individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation and appreciation of the world’s silent film heritage. Past winners have included major figures such as Kevin Brownlow, Eileen Bowser (MoMA), David Francis and Paul Spehr (Library of Congress), Tom Gunning (University of Chicago) and Charles Musser (Yale University).
 
The award is given each year to two individuals. This year, Abel was joined by John Libbey, owner and manager of John Libbey Publications. For years John Libbey published and funded the periodical Film History as well as Domitor conference volumes. He continues to publish lavishly illustrated scholarly volumes in silent and sound film history that academic publishers generally do not produce.

FTVM congratulates Professor Abel on this notable achievement!