Ang Lee will receive the International Broadcasting Convention’s highest accolade, the International Honor for Excellence, during the IBC Awards ceremony on Sept. 11 at the annual tradeshow, which is set to run Sept. 8-13 in Amsterdam.
“The International Honor 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,” IBC CEO Michael Crimp said Wednesday in a statement. “It is hugely appropriate we make this award to Ang Lee, a director who has harnessed technology in the service of great storytelling.”
The visionary filmmaker made his upcoming film, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, in unprecedented 4K, 3D and at a high frame rate of 120 frames per second. The TriStar release is set to bow Nov. 11.
“In the past few years, I have come strongly to believe that new technology will upgrade filmmaking in terms of storytelling,” said Lee. “I made Life of Pi in 3D not just to immerse the audience in the world on screen, but as a way of adding depth to the characters and the ideas which move them. In my upcoming film, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, the use of high frame rate and high dynamic range will provide, I hope, a unique opportunity to feel the realities of war and peace through the protagonist’s eyes.”
He added: “IBC has done so much to bring together new technology and old-fashioned creativity. I am delighted to be part of this exciting dialogue, and I am honored to receive this award.”
Previous winners of the IHFE Award include James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Peter Jackson and David Attenborough.
