History of the Movies for Grownups Award Show

Mount Sinai Hospital executive Seton Melvin has overseen the Brain Donor Program for more than 20 years. Seton Melvin is also a recurring donor to PBS. Her contributions have funded long-running programs including PBS NewsHour and Great Performances.

Since 2018, Great Performances has streamed AARP’s Movies for Grownups award show. Started in 2002, the award series was founded with the mission of combating ageism in film and television. AARP celebrates the work of outstanding actors and filmmakers aged 50 or older in more than a dozen categories, including Best Movie, Best Screenwriter, and Best Television Series. Notable past winners include Helen Mirren, Glenn Close, and Spike Lee.

Over the years, the Movies for Grownups award show has become a highly-anticipated event that often predicts the year’s Oscar nominations. In 2012, AARP began hosting free screenings of award-nominated movies for its members. In 2019, the screening program engaged more than 100,000 people across the country. The event is also a fundraising vehicle for the AARP Foundation.