Steve McQueen is one of the most exciting directors around and he will be honoured with the BFI Fellowship at the upcoming London Film Festival.
Steve McQueen
The BFI Fellowship is the highest accolade at the BFI London Film Festival and will be presented to the filmmaker at the festival's annual awards on Sunday 15th October.
Speaking about receiving the accolade, the filmmaker said: "I first walked into the BFI library and cinema 28 years ago. To think that I will now be a Fellow and honorary member, with such a distinguished list of people, is mind-blowing. I'm humbly honoured."
It was back in 2008 when he made his feature film directorial debut with Hunger, which saw him collaborate with Michael Fassbender for the first time.
He went on to direct Shame and 12 Years A Slave, the latter of which won Best Picture and saw McQueen nominated for Best Director for the first time.
Josh Berger CBE, Chair of the BFI had nothing but praise for all that McQueen has achieved during his career. "As winner of both the Turner Prize and an Academy Award®, Steve is pre-eminent in the world of film and the moving image.
"He is one of the most influential and important British artists of the past 25 years and his work, both short and long-form, has consistently explored the endurance of humanity - even when it is confronted by inhumane cruelty - with a poetry and visual style that he has made his own. We are thrilled that Steve is to become a BFI Fellow."
12 Years A Slave was the last feature film from McQueen, which went on to play at the BFI London Film Festival and we met with critical acclaim.
More recently, the director has returned to short film projects with the likes of Ashes, Kanye West: All Day/I Feel Like That, and Mr Burberry under his belt.
Previous BFI Fellowships have been awarded to the likes of Cate Blanchett, Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter, and Ralph Fiennes. McQueen is the first black director or producer to receive this honour.
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