Women In Film’s 2017 Crystal + Lucy Awards Honor Elizabeth Banks, Zoey Deutch and More

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Tuesday night celebrated true girl power as some of the most powerful women (and men) in Hollywood came together for Women in Film’s 2017 Crystal & Lucy Awards.

The evening, themed “Evolve,” was hosted by actress and comedian Jessica Williams and raised funds and awareness for Women In Film, LA and its many educational and philanthropic programs, and its advocacy for gender parity for women throughout the industry.

Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Women In Film, LA, Max Mara, and BMW

Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama and Sen. Kamala Harris made video presentations to the awestruck crowd, who included Max Mara co-owner Nicola Maramotti, Lake Bell, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gabrielle Carteris, Madelyn Deutch, Helen Fielding, Kate Flannery, Christine Lahti, Kimberly Pierce, Brittany Snow and Lea Thompson, among others.

Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Women In Film, LA, Max Mara, and BMW

Crystal Award honoree Elizabeth Banks and Lucy Award honoree Tracee Ellis Ross each received special video messages from former First Ladies. Following Ross’ acceptance speech, Mrs. Obama congratulated Ross and said, “You are brilliant, you are hilarious, and you are one of the most talented actors I know. Your character on Black-ish, Bow, is an inspiration for folks across this country.”

Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Women In Film, LA, Max Mara, and BMW

Before Elizabeth Banks was presented the Crystal Award by Universal Pictures Chairman Donna Langley, she was surprised with a video message from Clinton, who shared, “I want to congratulate my dear friend Elizabeth Banks… You are not only a creative force in front of the camera and behind it – you are a passionate advocate for women’s equality and opportunity.”

Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Women In Film, LA, Max Mara, and BMW

Lupita Nyong’o then presented the BMW Dorothy Arzner Directors Award to her Queen of Katwe director Mira Nair. Max Mara Face of the Future winner Zoey Deutch then gave an acceptance speech  thanking the women in her life including her mother Lea Thompson and sister Madelyn Deutch. Thompson recently directed her daughters in the film The Year of Spectacular Men, which was also written by Madelyn.

Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Women In Film, LA, Max Mara, and BMW

There were some men involved in the women’s evening, of course, and none was more of a welcome sight than Robert Redford, who played Dan Rather in the 2015 film Truth—who, not-so-coincidentally, presented Rather with the Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award.

Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Max Mara

During the event, Women In Film premiered Flip the Script, a new provocative digital series/social media campaign, which aims to open an irreverently fresh dialogue about gender parity in Hollywood.

Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Women In Film, LA, Max Mara, and BMW WIF Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer also announced that WIF has joined forces with APM Music, the leading creative music house & production music library, to launch the first ever Women In Film Library for female composers. This is part of an overall initiative to increase the number of female composers working in the industry, especially on top-grossing films (currently 1%).