Sir Ridley Scott is to be honoured with the Fellowship of The British Academy of Film and Television Arts at this year’s BAFTAs.
The award is the highest accolade bestowed by the Academy and recognises the recipient’s “outstanding and exceptional contribution” to film, games or television.
Previous winners include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Christopher Lee, Martin Scorsese and Sidney Poitier.
Scott’s 40 year career includes more than 2 dozen major films, including Alien, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, American Gangster and Body of Lies, and has seen his work honoured with five BAFTA nominations and three Oscar nominations.
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said: “Ridley Scott is a visionary director, one of the great British filmmakers whose work has made an indelible mark on the history of cinema.
“His passion and unrelenting pursuit of excellence have provided cinema goers with a tantalising range of films, including Alien, Gladiator, Thelma and Louise and Blade Runner.
“40 years since his directorial debut, his films continue to cross the boundaries of style and genre, engaging audiences and inspiring the next generation of film talent.”
Scott said: “It is a privilege to have been able to make a career for myself in this industry and to be honoured for my body of work is indeed very gratifying.”
The EE British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday 18 February at the Royal Albert Hall and will be broadcast exclusively on BBC One and BBC One HD.