Ang Lee to Receive IBC’s Top Honor

LONDON—Director Ang Lee is going to need to clear some more space on his mantle, as the two-time Oscar-winning director has been announced as the recipient of IBC’s highest accolade, the IBC2016 International Honor for Excellence.

Ang Lee

“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,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC. “It is hugely appropriate we make this award to Ang Lee, a director who has harnessed technology in the service of great storytelling.”

The Taiwan-born director is best known as the director of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Brokeback Mountain” and “The Life of Pi;” he won his two Academy Awards for the latter two films, with “Life of Pi” being the first 3D film to win the Best Director award. Lee’s new film, “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” is set to come out in November.

“In the past few years, I have come strongly to believe that new technology will upgrade filmmaking in terms of storytelling,” Lee said. “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.

Lee joins previous International Honor for Excellence winners like his fellow directors James Cameron Sir Peter Jackson and Sir David Attenborough, as well as Olympic Broadcasting Services.

The IBC Awards Ceremony will take place on Sept. 11. Lee will also present a keynote address during the conference on Sept. 12.

IBC 2016 is set to take place in Amsterdam from Sept. 8-13. For more information, visit www.ibc.org.