Former AFI Life Achievement Award recipients like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Morgan Freeman celebrated risk-taking director Francis Ford Coppola.

As the American Film Institute paid tribute to Francis Ford Coppola with its 50th Life Achievement Award, the acclaimed director celebrated a homecoming of sorts. In his acceptance speech during Friday’s gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles,

Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Morgan Freeman, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver and Spike Lee were among the A-listers on hand to salute the filmmaker at Saturday's event.