LOS ANGELES — On Thursday, the American Film Institute presented its AFI Awards, celebrating the top 10 films and 11 television shows of 2024.

The highlight of the glamorous event, which had been postponed from January 10 due to severe wildfires in Los Angeles, was a heartfelt tribute to a firefighter.

Tim Larson, a firefighter serving in the fire-stricken Pacific Palisades, received a lengthy standing ovation from the star-studded audience gathered at the Four Seasons hotel ballroom in Los Angeles.

“No words can erase the tears from this town,” remarked AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale during his opening speech, while introducing the uniformed Larson.

Gazzale called on the gathering of prominent filmmakers and television creators to keep delivering entertainment, especially during these challenging times.

The attendees included stars from Oscar-nominated films like “Wicked,” “A Complete Unknown,” “The Brutalist,” “Sing Sing,” “Conclave,” “A Real Pain,” and “Emilia Pérez.” Notable names such as Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, Adrien Brody, Colman Domingo, Ralph Fiennes, Jesse Eisenberg, Adriana Paz, and Zoe Saldaña were present.

Among the celebrated TV series were featured stars including Kristen Bell, Adam Brody (“Nobody Wants This”), Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti (“The Penguin”), Mark Indelicato (“Hacks”), Jodie Foster, Kali Reis (“True Detective: Night Country”), Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), and Hiroyuki Sanada (“Shogun”).

Renowned directors like Sean Baker (“Anora”), Denis Villeneuve (“Dune: Part Two”), RaMell Ross (“Nickel Boys”), and Edward Berger (“Conclave”) also graced the occasion.

Harrison Ford, who previously received an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, was applauded with an early standing ovation after Larson’s tribute. He attended to represent the AppleTV+ comedy “Shrinking,” where co-stars Jason Segel and Jessica Williams led the cheering.

Although Oscar-nominated “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón was absent due to a public relations issue surrounding past social media comments, she received recognition during the best picture tribute for “Emilia Pérez.” The testimonials highlighted the “provocative thriller,” praising the “explosive performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez — a genuine triple threat of today’s leading talents.”

The ceremony both began and concluded with homage to David Lynch, who passed away last month at the age of 78. It kicked off with a video where the “Twin Peaks” director shared his admiration for AFI. The video concluded with a message saying, “We love you too, David. And always will.”

AFI Founding Director George Stevens Jr. wrapped up the event with a tribute to Lynch, praising “the mystical beauty we discovered in realizing his dreams.”

“We conclude this gathering with David in our thoughts,” said Stevens Jr. “Let’s commit ourselves to revitalizing our beleaguered film capital.”