The American Film Institute (AFI) conferred honorary degrees upon Richard Frank (Doctorate of Communication Arts, honoris causa), and Spike Lee and Helen Mirren (each Doctorate of Fine Arts, honoris causa), for "contribution of distinction to the art of the moving image" during AFI Conservatory commencement ceremonies for its 2011 graduating class.

Previous recipients of the AFI Honorary Degree include Robert Altman, Maya Angelou, Steven Bochco, Roger Corman, Robert Daly, Clint Eastwood, Nora Ephron, Lee Grant, Ray Harryhausen, Chuck Jones, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, John Lasseter, Karl Malden, Gena Rowlands, Jack Valenti, Haskell Wexler, Alfre Woodard and more.

To learn more about the recipients, please click here for the full press release.