George Lucas wins award for lifetime work

LOS ANGELES, June 10 (UPI) -- The American Film Institute has presented "Star Wars" creator George Lucas with a lifetime achievement award at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles.

Fellow director Steven Spielberg presented the prestigious honor at the Thursday event, the BBC reported Friday.

"Star Wars" actors Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford paid tribute to the filmmaker, along with previous recipient Tom Hanks.

In accepting the award, Lucas joked, "The only achievement is I actually finished 'Star Wars.' " The six-film science-fiction fantasy series started with "A New Hope" in 1977 and ended with "Revenge of the Sith," released in May.

Lucas, 61, explained that the AFI had offered him the award more than a decade ago, but that he had asked them to wait until he had turned 60.

Aside from the "Star Wars" series, Lucas wrote and produced the "Indiana Jones" films and his visual effects company, Industrial Light and Magic, has helped revolutionize special effects.

Lucas, who is currently working on the fourth "Indiana Jones" film with Spielberg, said he was "starting a new career," referring to his decision to return to his roots and produce smaller, more experimental films.