Steven Spielberg uniform bearing the rank of a Life Scout. Spielberg stated he made Indiana Jones a Boy Scout in honor of his experience in Scouting. For his career accomplishments, service to others, and dedication to a new merit badge Spielberg was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. Steven Spielberg received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1995. In 1998, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Award was presented to him by President Roman Herzog in recognition of his film "Schindler's List" and his Shoa-Foundation. In 1999, Spielberg received an honorary
Steven Spielberg which became "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977). One of the rare films both written and directed by Spielberg, "Close Encounters" was a critical and box office hit, giving Spielberg his first Best Director nomination from the Academy as well as earning six other Academy Awards nominations. It won Oscars in two categories (Cinematography, Vilmos Zsigmond, and a Special Achievement Award for Sound Effects Editing, Frank E. Warner). This second blockbuster helped to secure Spielberg's rise. His next film, "1941", a big-budgeted World War II farce, was not nearly as successful and though it grossed over $92.4 million worldwide