Best of the Fests: AFI 2007

AFI Fest called it a wrap yesterday, bringing to a close this year's ten-day festivities. The longest-running film festival in Los Angeles celebrated its twentieth anniversary this year by honoring, among others, Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. The French biopic received the Audience Award for dramatic features, while Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story took the prize for documentaries.

Two of our favorite actresses received special tributes this year: ageless French beauty Catherine Deneuve and the all-American Laura Linney. They both have extensive filmographies, but fans of queer cinema will of course remember Deneuve from her sultry turns in The Hunger and 8 Women, while Linney will always be Mary Ann Singleton to most of us.

Links via AFI.com, Imdb.com and Altfg.com.