Steve McQueen to make history with BFI Fellowship award

Steve McQueen is poised to make history as the first black director to receive the prestigious British Film Institute (BFI) Fellowship award.
The Oscar winner will be handed the BFI’s highest honour in recognition of his contribution to cinema during the organisation’s annual awards ceremony on 15 October (16).
With the accolade, the 46-year-old will make history for a number reasons – in addition to becoming the first black director or producer to be feted with the prize, he will also be the youngest man and the youngest director to receive the BFI Fellowship.
The 12 Years a Slave filmmaker made similar history in 2014, when he became the first black director to win a best picture Oscar.
Still stunned over the award news, McQueen said in a statement: “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.”
Previous recipients include Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ridley Scott, Dame Maggie Smith, Vanessa Redgrave, and last year’s (15) honouree, Cate Blanchett.