Director Ang Lee is to receive the IBC 2016 International Honour for Excellence in Amsterdam next month, the highest award to be presented at the show. Lee was born in Taiwan, but studied theatre at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and then film at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. In his career he has won two Best Director Oscars and has been nominated twice more. Life of Pi was the first 3D movie to win the Oscar for Best Director.

“The International Honour for Excellence goes to an individual who has made a significant and valuable contribution to our industry, combining technology and creativity to achieve remarkable ends,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC. “It is hugely appropriate we make this award to Ang Lee, a director who has harnessed technology in the service of great story-telling.”

Previous winners of the IHFE Award include: Directors James Cameron and Sir Peter Jackson, Olympic Broadcasting Services and Sir David Attenborough.

“IBC has done so much to bring together new technology and old-fashioned creativity,” he added. “I am delighted to be part of this exciting dialogue, and I am honoured to receive this award. Thank you,” said Lee, who will also present a keynote address at the conference.

The keynote will include illustrations from his latest movie and takes place at the Auditorium on Monday 12 September. The IBC Awards Ceremony takes place on Sunday 11 September and will include reviews of Ang Lee’s current and previous work, as well as a number of other highlights.