Awarded annually by BAFTA (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts), the Fellowship is the highest accolade bestowed upon an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film. Previously honored Fellows include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave. Christopher Lee received the Fellowship at the Film Awards last February.
Tim Corrie, chairman of BAFTA, said, “Martin Scorsese is a legend in his lifetime; a true inspiration to all young directors the world over. We are delighted to honor his contribution to cinema history and look forward to paying tribute to him in London on Feb. 12.”
Martin Scorsese added, “It is a great honor to be recognized by the British Academy and to join the ranks of such an esteemed group of industry colleagues and friends.”
With a celebrated career now spanning six decades, Martin Scorsese is one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history. The acclaimed director, producer and screenwriter has been nominated by BAFTA no fewer than nine times, garnering three wins in 1991 for “Goodfellas.” A cinematic master, his works also include “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” “Casino,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Aviator” and “The Departed.” He has continued to delight critics and audiences alike with his most recent work, “Hugo,” a film that not only marks the director’s first foray into 3D but is also his first adventure film for all the family. Scorsese has also made a number of ground-breaking documentaries including celebrated music films “No Direction Home: Bob Dylan,” “Shine a Light” and “George Harrison: Living in the Material World.”
Demonstrating his passion for film preservation, Scorsese is the founder and chair of two non-profit organizations dedicated to the preservation and protection of motion picture history: The Film Foundation and the World Cinema Foundation.
In December 2010, Scorsese was the subject of a “BAFTA A Life in Pictures” event, where he shared personal insights into his career and his craft and gave invaluable advice to newcomers to the industry. These videos are now available to view on www.bafta.org/guru.
The nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards will be announced Jan. 17. The ceremony, broadcast by the BBC in the UK, will be held on Feb. 12 and hosted by Stephen Fry.
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Well deserved!