King of comedy Mel Brooks was awarded with the Life Achievement Award by American Film Institute (AFI) at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
Former AFI recipient and filmmaker Martin Scorsese was tapped to present the award to the 86-year-old director, who is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies, in the presence of Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman on June 6, reported Ace Showbiz.
"Movies rescued my soul. No matter what was bad or wrong, it could be wiped out on Saturday morning," said Brooks.
Scorsese said, "Mel has made his own tradition of greatness, and it's that tradition - drawing from the past, honoring it, toying with it, vamping on it, extending it to places wise men, very funny men previously feared to go - that's what we're celebrating here and honoring tonight."
Actor Martin Short opened the star-studded event by singing songs from Brooks' films, including 'I Want to Be a Producer' and 'Springtime for Hitler' from 'The Producers'.
"The word genius is used a lot in Hollywood, so I might as well call Mel one," Short said.
