Taiwan-born filmmaker Ang Lee received the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing at the 2016 British Academy Britannia Awards ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Oct. 28 in Beverly Hills, California.
“Ang Lee is truly one of the great visionary directors of our time, with a remarkable international career that continually demonstrates bold choices and provocative perspectives,” said Kieran Breen, chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles. “From ‘Sense and Sensibility’ to ‘Life of Pi,’ Mr. Lee has had a special place in BAFTA’s heart.” Lee received the award from Jake Gyllenhaal, lead actor in Lee’s first Academy Award-winning film “Brokeback Mountain.” In return, Lee hugged Gyllenhaal when he was presented with the award.
Lee was the first person of Asian descent to be bestowed the prestigious honor by BAFTA Los Angeles. The London-headquartered organization bills itself as an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence.
Established in 1989, the Britannia Awards recognize individuals and companies who have dedicated their careers or corporate missions to advancing film. Internationally acclaimed filmmakers honored over the years include Christopher Nolan, David Yates, Danny Boyle, Kathryn Bigelow, Martin Campbell, Mike Newell and Quentin Tarantino.
Lee, who was born in southernmost Pingtung County in 1954, won an Academy Award for best director for his film “Brokeback Mountain,” adapted from a short story by Annie Proulx, in 2006. He picked up his second Academy Award in 2013 for directing “Life of Pi,” based on the bestselling novel by Yann Martel. His latest film, military drama “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” based on a novel by Ben Fountain, premiered Oct. 14 in New York City.
Another top honor that the director recently received was the 2016 International Honor for Excellence from the London-headquartered International Broadcasting Convention—organizer of the world’s leading annual broadcasting industry exhibition—on Sept. 11 in Amsterdam.
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