PGA Awards: Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein Honored with Posthumous Trailblazer Award
The Producers Guild of America will pay posthumous tribute to the impact of Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein with the Trailblazer Award, it was announced today. The honors will be bestowed at the 2025 Producers Guild Awards on February 8.
This exceptional recognition celebrates their shared commitment to paving the way for female producers and championing women’s voices in Hollywood. The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein will be recognized with a unique recognition of the Trailblazer Award. The Trailblazer Award is sponsored by Delta Air Lines.
“Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein have made a lasting impact on the industry with their trailblazing work and steadfast commitment to amplifying women’s voices,” said Producers Guild of America Presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line. “Lynda and Paula embody the spirit of women who have broken barriers and paved the way for future generations of producers. Their visionary work includes iconic films that have defined eras, alongside their unwavering commitment to championing underrepresented stories. Honoring them highlights their dedication to empowerment, innovation, and mentorship, celebrating not just their individual legacies but also their shared commitment to advocating for women and fostering collaboration.”
Paula Weinstein was an award-winning and distinguished producer celebrated for her impactful films, including The Perfect Storm, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Analyze This and Analyze That. She played a pivotal role in shaping the modern cinematic landscape, extending her influence beyond film into television. Notably, she produced the groundbreaking series Grace and Frankie, the longest running show on Netflix and a collaboration with Jane Fonda that garnered recognition for its cultural significance. Her television credits also encompass TV movies covering political events such as 3 category Emmy-winning Recount on the Bush Gore election, Emmy-nominated Too Big To Fail on the US economy falters in 2008 and Emmy-nominated Iron Jawed Angels tracing the suffragette movement.
Weinstein’s entertainment career began through a connection with Jane Fonda, who hired her as her agent. This led to her rapid ascent in Hollywood, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the film industry when appointed vice president at 20th Century Fox in 1979 at age 33.
She went on to hold top positions as president of United Artists, a vice president of Warner Bros. and an executive vice president at 20th Century Fox. From 2013 until her departure in 2023, Weinstein served as chief content officer for Tribeca Enterprises, overseeing the Tribeca Film Festival and its many mentorship programs for both women and emerging talent as well as producing live events in Tribeca with key interviews and city wide screenings.
Beyond filmmaking, Weinstein was always a fierce advocate for women in Hollywood and progressive causes. She co-founded the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee, a powerful fundraising organization for liberal candidates, which successfully raised millions for Democratic candidates over two decades. Additionally, Weinstein was one of only 3 people to receive two Crystal Awards from Women in Film in 1999 and served on the boards of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU and on the National Finance Committee for President Obama.
Weinstein’s impact on Hollywood extended beyond her impressive filmography. She challenged gender barriers in the industry, famously observing, “A man can be mediocre in almost everything, but a woman’s got to be perfect.”
With a career spanning more than four decades, Lynda Obst was a true pioneer for female producers, breaking barriers and setting a standard of excellence. Obst was a celebrated producer known for her work on iconic films such as Sleepless in Seattle, The Fisher King, Contact, Interstellar, and How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days. She produced the directing debuts of Nora Ephron (This is my Life) and Chris Columbus (Adventures in Babysitting), the latter a product of her trailblazing partnership with Producer Debra Hill: Hill/Obst Productions. Her resume in television includes The Hot Zone, Good Girls Revolt, Hot in Cleveland. Additionally, she was a celebrated author, editor and essayist, whose books including the industry classic, “Hello, He Lied” which debuted at #1 on the LA Times Best Sellers list, where it stayed for 10 weeks, before later being adapted as a documentary for AMC and Sleepless in Hollywood. Over her impressive career, she garnered critical acclaim for her unique ability to blend commercial success with artistic integrity, establishing herself as a leading figure in the industry whose films amassed multiple Oscar and Golden Globe wins and nominations.
Obst was recognized not only for her creative contributions but also for her unwavering commitment to advocating for gender equality in film production and diversity in storytelling. She was instrumental in pushing for gender parity behind the camera, advocating for more opportunities for female writers, directors, and producers. Her commitment to mentorship and nurturing emerging talent has inspired countless filmmakers to pursue their creative visions. She was a recipient of the Women in Film Crystal award and the 1st Polly Platt Award. Obst’s creative contributions and her efforts to empower future generations resonate deeply in Hollywood, making her an exemplary figure in the movement for equality and representation.
The 2025 Producers Guild Awards Event Chairs are Mike Farah and Joe Farrell. The 2025 Producers Guild Awards are produced by Anchor Street Collective and written by Lauren Cortizo, Jody Lambert and Matt Oberg for the Producers Guild of America. Branden Chapman is the executive producer, and Carleen Cappelletti is co-executive producer. Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis is PR agency of record, and Diane Salerno manages sponsorships.
Sponsors of the 2025 Producers Guild Awards include Cadillac, the Official Vehicle, Delta Air Lines, the Official Airline, Glenfiddich Scotch Whisky, GreenSlate, and Hong Kong Tourism Board.
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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