Filmmaker, Showrunner and Producer, Ava DuVernay is to receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for excellence in directing from The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles.
She joins previously announced honoree Dick Van Dyke, who will receive the award for excellence in television. The awards will be presented on Oct. 27 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
“Ava is both a fearless director and a champion of talent, who has used her platform to shed light on some of the most important issues facing the world today,” said Kieran Breen, chairman of BAFTA Los Angeles. “She has brought together talents from the U.S. and U.K. for her projects, and successfully crafted work that resonates with audiences around the globe, making her incredibly deserving of this honor.”
Past recipients include Ang Lee, Sam Mendes, Mike Newell, Danny Boyle, Christopher Nolan, David Yates, Quentin Tarantino, and Kathryn Bigelow.
The BAFTA trophy comes on the heels of an announcement that DuVernay will take the stage at the Hammer Museum in October when she receives an award at the Westwood Institution’s Gala in the Garden alongside writer Hilton Als.