LONDON -- Writer and director Mike Leigh, whose credits include Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake and Mr. Turner, is to receive the 2015 Bafta Fellowship award.
He'll be presented with the Fellowship at the British Academy Film Awards at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday Feb. 8.
Leigh joins the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese in receiving the accolade.
Delighted to announce that Mike Leigh will receive this year's BAFTA Fellowship: http://t.co/vda5agK5Y8 #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/aTeMtWpKkt— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 3, 2015
The Fellowship is "the highest accolade bestowed by BAFTA upon an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, television or games," they say.
Strangely, though, his latest film Mr. Turner, which sees Timothy Spall star as 19th century painter J.M.W. Turner, missed out on all the main categories in this year's nominations.
It lost out on Best Film to Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything, and didn't pick up any nominations in the Best Director, Leading Actor or Leading Actress categories. It has been nominated for Cinematography, Costume Design, Production Design and Hair & Make Up.
Nonetheless, Leigh said is was a privilege to be recognised and said he was "moved, delighted and surprised."
Charlie Chaplin, Sean Connery, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench have all received the award in the past. Helen Mirren was honoured at last year's awards.
Mike Leigh has won three Baftas and has seven Academy Award nominations and 11 Bafta nominations under his belt. He won the prestigious Palme D'Or at Cannes for Secrets & Lies and the Golden Lion at Venice for Vera Drake starring Imelda Staunton.
Leigh trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, at the Camberwell and Central Schools of Art and at the London Film School, of which he is now the Chairman.
The British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday Feb. 8 with Stephen Fry once again at the helm. The show will be broadcast on BBC One in the UK with a red carpet show aired on BBC Three worldwide.
Only one week to go until the #EEBAFTAs. Just to remind you who this year’s @BAFTA contenders are… http://t.co/snA7fstfdH— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) February 1, 2015