Martin Scorsese to receive the Academy Fellowship from BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts have announced that legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese will be the recipient of this year's Academy Fellowship at the Orange British Academy Film Awards, which takes place at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday, February 12th.

The Academy Fellowship is BAFTA's highest honour, with previous Fellows including Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave and last year's recipient, Christopher Lee.

Scorsese will be presented with the accolade in recognition of a career that spans six decades, during which the acclaimed director, producer and screenwriter has delivered such classics as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed, along with his most recent work (and first foray into 3D), Hugo, and ground-breaking music documentaries such as No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, Shine a Light and George Harrison: Living in the Material World.

The nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards will be announced on Tuesday January 17th ahead of February's ceremony, which will be broadcast in the UK by the BBC.

Be sure to check out our profile, Understanding Scorsese, for an in-depth look at his body of work.