A contemporary reimagining of “Romeo and Juliet” based on the beloved stage musical, WEST SIDE STORY (1961) more than earned its acclaim across the American Film Institute’s lists celebrating excellence in the art form – including placement on both the original and 10th anniversary editions of the greatest American films and three entries among the AFI’s accounting of the greatest movie songs. The iconic screen story also ranked #3 on AFI’s list of the greatest love stories and #2 among AFI’S 100 YEARS OF MUSICALS. WEST SIDE STORY was co-directed by AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Robert Wise, who also served as Chair of the AFI Conservatory (then called the Center for Advanced Film Studies) – and featured AFI Honorary Degree recipient Rita Moreno in her groundbreaking, Academy Award®-winning performance as Anita.
Learn more about WEST SIDE STORY in the AFI Catalog.
