The annual gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts features personalized tributes with performances and testimonials from fellow artists.

At Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro each appeared on stage to give special tributes to Francis Ford Coppola, while Al Pacino called him a trailblazer willing to break the first rule of Hollywood: Never put your own money in your movie projects.

The group was recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony Dec. 8 for their lifetime contribution to American culture through performing arts. Sunday night also honored blues-rock-how-could-you-possibly-categorize-her legend Bonnie Raitt;