LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28, 2024 – American Cinema Editors (ACE) announced today that the organization will honor acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu with the ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award, recognizing an artist who exemplifies distinguished achievement in the art and business of film.  ACE will also bestow career achievement honors to film editors Maysie Hoy, ACE and Paul Hirsch, ACE for their outstanding career contributions to film editing. All honors will be presented at the 75th annual ACE Eddie Awards on January 18, 2025 at UCLA’s Royce Hall where winners will also be announced in 13 competitive categories recognizing the best film editing achievements of the year in film and television.

“Jon M. Chu is a visionary filmmaker who has captivated audiences worldwide with his dynamic storytelling and innovative visual style,” stated newly elected ACE president Sabrina Plisco, ACE. “From the vibrant energy of In The Heights  to the sweeping romance of the groundbreaking Crazy Rich Asians, his films are a testament to the power of cinema to transport, entertain and inspire. The highly anticipated Wicked only adds to his exciting cinematic legacy. Jon embodies the spirit of innovation and passion that ACE champions, and we are thrilled to celebrate him at the ACE Eddie Awards.”

Chu joins an impressive group of Golden Eddie award recipients including John Waters, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, Kathleen Kennedy, Christopher Nolan, Lauren Shuler Donner, Guillermo del Toro, Vince Gilligan, J.J. Abrams, Nancy Meyers, Martin Scorsese, Norman Jewison, Robert Zemeckis, George Lucas, and the Sundance Institute, among others.

“Our Career Achievement Award recipients this year are extraordinary,” Plisco went on to say. “Maysie Hoy’s career exemplifies the dedication, artistry, and collaborative spirit that defines our craft. From her early days working alongside Robert Altman to her impressive body of work spanning decades, Maysie has consistently delivered exceptional storytelling through her editing. And Paul Hirsch is a master storyteller whose editing has shaped some of the most iconic films in history. From the groundbreaking Star Wars to the thrilling Mission: Impossible franchise, his work has captivated audiences and inspired generations of filmmakers. American Cinema Editors is proud to celebrate these exceptional talents who have given so much to cinema through their work and so much to our organization through their dedication to giving back.”

Past recipients of the ACE Career Achievement Award include some of the best and most beloved editors in the industry including Lynne Willingham, ACE, Don Zimmerman, ACE, Lillian Benson, ACE, Richard Chew, ACE, Alan Heim, ACE, Tina Hirsch, ACE,  Thelma Schoonmaker, ACE, Janet Ashikaga, ACE, Craig McKay, ACE, Jerrold L. Ludwig, ACE, Mark Goldblatt, ACE, and Leon Ortiz-Gil, ACE, among many others.

Nominations for the 75th Annual ACE Eddie Awards will be announced December 11.

ABOUT JON M. CHU

Jon M. Chu is known for his visually stunning blockbuster films, as well as his kinetic work across various genres from groundbreaking series to commercials and films. Additionally, his unique storytelling ability has earned him the honor of inclusion on the Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 list as well as Variety’s New Hollywood Leaders.

Most recently, Chu directed Universal Pictures’ highly anticipated WICKED, starring Oscar®-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Part 1 of the feature-film adaptation of the record-breaking musical phenomenon will release in theaters on November 22. His book, Viewfinder, an inspiring memoir about his journey from growing up in the Silicon Valley to transitioning to Hollywood and helming major studio projects, released on July 23 of this year. The book is an uplifting tale of belonging, creativity and learning to see who you truly are.

His recent projects include the critically acclaimed adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS for Warner Bros. Studios as well as the worldwide phenomenon CRAZY RICH ASIANS, which was nominated for numerous awards, including a SAG Award, a Golden Globe and PGA Award. It is one of the top 10 highest grossing romantic comedies of all time and the highest in a decade. It was also the first contemporary studio picture in more than 25 years to feature an all-Asian cast and opened a new chapter in Asian-American representation in Hollywood.

Chu’s latest film WICKED: PART TWO, which is set to release on November 21, 2025, and he is attached to direct the highly anticipated biopic for Britney Spears based on her memoir, The Woman in Me, with Universal. He is also in development on Dr. Seuss’ OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! with Warner Bros and JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot, which will be his first animated film. His previous films include GI. JOE: RETALIATION, NOW YOU SEE ME 2, JUSTIN BIEBER’S NEVER SAY NEVER and many more representing over 1.3 billion dollars in the worldwide box office.

ABOUT MAYSIE HOY, ACE

Maysie Hoy is a highly accomplished film editor with a diverse background in theater and film production. Her career began in Vancouver, where she honed her improvisational skills and formed “The Good Will Store” theater company, serving as its artistic director. For the next two years, her troupe performed and taught Viola Spolin’s theater games in schools and correctional institutions. It was during this time she was cast in Robert Altman’s McCabe and Mrs. Miller.

She then moved to Los Angeles and began working closely with the renowned director in research, costume and production design, as well as acting in several additional Altman films including California Split, Nashville and 3 Women. It was on Altman’s Buffalo Bill and the Indians that she landed a job as an apprentice and discovered her passion for film editing. Hoy’s editing expertise quickly emerged, propelling her up the ladder working as a film and sound assistant on numerous Altman films and projects that he produced with directors like Alan Rudolph and Robert Benton. Her film editing credits include The Joy Luck Club, The Player, Love Jones, Freeway, Crazy in Alabama, Freedom Song, What Dreams May Come, Smoke and over a dozen Tyler Perry films including Good Deeds, For Colored Girls, Why Did I Get Married?, Madea Goes To Jail and The Six Triple Eight arriving in theaters this holiday season. She is a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and American Cinema Editors, and her work has been recognized in the book “Great Women in Films.”

ABOUT PAUL HIRSCH, ACE

Paul Hirsch is an Oscar®-winning film editor whose career spans over five decades and encompasses a remarkable range of genres. He is celebrated for his contributions to iconic films such as Star Wars: A New Hope (for which he won the Oscar), The Empire Strikes Back, Carrie, Blow Out, Mission: Impossible, Footloose, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Hirsch has collaborated with renowned directors including George Lucas, Herbert Ross, John Hughes, Brad Bird and  Brian De Palma, with whom he made 11 films.  His work has earned him numerous accolades, including an ACE Eddie Award and a second Oscar® nomination for Ray.

Hirsch’s memoir, A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away offers a fascinating glimpse into his experiences in the film industry.  The book’s French translation was awarded the prize for best Foreign Language Book on Cinema of 2022 by the French Film Critics’ Society. In addition to being a member of ACE, he is also a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

ABOUT AMERICAN CINEMA EDITORS

American Cinema Editors (ACE) is an honorary society that has been championing the art, craft and business of film editing since 1950. Through signature events like EditFest Global, the ACE Eddie Awards and Invisible Art/Visible Artists, the organization celebrates the vital role of editors in storytelling and provides a dynamic global platform to illuminate the craft. ACE is committed to elevating the profile of film editing, fostering a diverse and inclusive community and educating future generations through a variety of active mentorship and scholarship programs. Through its programs, publications (CinemaEditor), podcasts (Editors on Editing, Global Editing Perspectives) and active educational activities, this collective of accomplished film editors is at the forefront of both preserving cinematic history while simultaneously preparing the next generation of film editors in a continuously evolving artistic climate.

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