George R.R. Martin Tapped for Lifetime Achievement Nod at Infinity Festival (Exclusive)

George R.R. Martin has been tapped to receive the Monolith Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Infinity Festival. Martin, creator of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels that inspired HBO’s Game of Thrones, will accept the award at the event, which is set to take place Nov. 12-15 at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles. In addition, Infinity Festival will host a special screening of Heirs of the Perisphere, a science-fiction short film produced by Martin that recently premiered at the Santa Fe International Film Festival. Martin is expected to participate in a conversation with attendees, with further details to be announced. Heirs of the Perisphere, directed by Chris Eyre and written by Caroline Spector, is based on a short story by Martin’s longtime friend, science-fiction author Howard Waldrop. The film follows three animatronic robots who awaken after centuries of silence to discover humanity has vanished and embark on a journey to find their creators. The Monolith Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes “individuals whose contributions have left a lasting impact on entertainment,” organizers said. The festival will honor Martin’s “lifetime of storytelling and his dedication to bringing the work of his dear friend Howard Waldrop to the screen.” “George R.R. Martin has had an extraordinary impact on storytelling, creating worlds and characters that have captivated audiences for generations,” said Mark Lieber, co-founder of Infinity Festival. “We’re thrilled to honor his remarkable career and showcase Heirs of the Perisphere. The ASIFA-Showcase is another exciting part of this year’s programming, bringing together an impressive lineup of filmmakers, artists and leading animation studios for two days celebrating the artistry and creativity behind animation.” Martin joins Oscar-winning filmmaker Brad Bird as the recipients of this year’s lifetime achievement award. Meanwhile, the festival also announced that Pola Maneli, director of the animated short Apart, co-written by Spike Lee, has joined the lineup for the previously announced ASIFA-Showcase, taking place Nov. 14-15 in partnership with ASIFA-Hollywood. Apart, which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival, explores the friendship between two boys against the backdrop of apartheid-era South Africa. The two-day ASIFA-Showcase will feature exclusive screenings, behind-the-scenes presentations and conversations with leading animation talent, including Bird, Seth Rogen, Lauren Miller Rogen, Mel Brooks and representatives from Pixar, Netflix Animation, DreamWorks Animation, IFC, Sony Pictures Animation, LAIKA, Tierney Corp and more. Additional featured talent includes Sony Pictures Animation director Tyree Dillihay and president Kristine Belson; Netflix’s Steps directors Alyce Tzue and John Ripa; Disney/Pixar Hoppers director Daniel Chong; Toy Story 5 co-director/writer Kenna Harris; Hexed directors Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand; DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island filmmakers Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado; LAIKA’s Wildwood writer Chris Butler and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel; Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender director Lauren Montgomery; The Simpsons director David Silverman; Cartoon Saloon director Louise Bagnall; Tangles director Leah Nelson, Cat in the Hat directors Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni, The Violinist directors Raul Garcia and Ervin Han, and The Proud Family creator Bruce W. Smith and more. Ahead of the showcase, LAIKA president and CEO Travis Knight will deliver an opening keynote on Nov. 13 in conversation with ASIFA-Hollywood executive director Aubry Mintz. Participating studios and independent filmmakers of this year’s Showcase include Apple TV, Cartoon Saloon, Crunchyroll, Disney/Pixar, Disney Kids and Family Television, IFC, LAIKA, Marvel Animation, Netflix Animation, Paramount+, Sony Pictures Animation, The Violinist, Tierney Corp, Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. For more information, visit the festival’s website.