Steve McQueen awarded BFI Fellowship at London Film Festival

Oscar-winning film director Steve McQueen was awarded a British Film Institute Fellowship on Saturday as the London Film Festival celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Presented the award by actor Michael Fassbender, who starred in his multi award-winning film 12 Years A Slave, McQueen described the accolade as a "wonderful honour".

The awards were hosted by Michael Sheen who praised McQueen, the youngest director to win the award, for his global impact on the industry.

"I think he's has such a huge impact not just on British film but film across the world since he started," he said.

McQueen, who also directed Hunger about republican Bobby Sands, said his main achievement is getting a film made in the first place.

"If you want to make films that are challenging they are always difficult to get made," he said. "The achievement of actually getting people who trust you, who want to work with you and get it made, that's been an achievement as such."

Other winners at the special awards dinner were:

  • Certain Women, directed by Kelly Reichardt, for Best Film

  • Julian Ducournau's Raw for Best First Feature

  • 9 Days - From My Window in Aleppo, for Best Short Film

  • Mehrdad Oskouei's Starless Dreams for Best Documentary

The BFI London Film Festival runs until October 16.