The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has announced that Ryan Coogler’s Sundance sensation “Fruitvale Station” will be the recipients of this year’s Stanley Kramer Award. Established in 2002 to honor a production, producer or other individual whose achievement or contribution illuminates and raises public awareness of important social issues, the honor is of considerable note in a year featuring a number of films that have tackled racial injustice and inequality, Coogler’s film being one of the very best among them.

“‘Fruitvale Station’ is an important film that raises awareness about an injustice that we encounter in the news with grim regularity,” said PGA Awards Co-Chairs Lori McCreary and Michael De Luca. The film “has well earned the honor of the 2014 Stanley Kramer Award and we look forward to celebrating this extraordinary film.”

Added producer Forest Whitaker, “We are very excited that ‘Fruitvale Station’ is being honored with the Stanley Kramer Award. It is a testament to the director, the production team and the incredible efforts of the many talented people in our crew and cast who worked so hard because they believed in the message of this movie. Many thanks to the Producers Guild of America for this recognition. Our producing team is thrilled to have been able to tell a story that puts a human face on the issue of social injustice. We hope the film continues to have a positive impact on the ongoing dialogue that surrounds these issues.”

Previous recipients of the honor include “The Great Debaters,” “An Inconvenient Truth,” “Hotel Rwanda,” “In America,” “Antwone Fisher,” “Precious,” “In the Land of Blood and Honey” and “Bully.”

Nominees for this year’s PGA Awards will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014.

The 25th annual PGA Awards will be held on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.