The Berlin Film Festival announced that director Ken Loach would be receiving the honorary Golden Bear Award.
According to Deadline, in addition to presenting Loach with the Golden Bear, the film festival will also screen his 1993 Cannes Jury Prize winner film Raining Stones.
Loach was first noticed with his 1996 docudrama called Cathy Come Home that aired on the BBC and drew an audience then of 12 million. The film was about a working-class family that struggles and comes apart as they become homeless.
Variety reports that Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick spoke glowingly about the director. "Ken Loach is one of Europe's great directors. Over his almost 50-year career, he has shown an extraordinary degree of continuity, while remaining innovative at all times."
Kosslick added, "His profound interest in people and their individual fates, as well as his critical commitment to society have found expression in a variety of cinematic approaches."
Loach's films often are a personal focus on people who are struggling in their lives, such as My Name is Joe, Ladybird, Ladybird and more.
image: Wikimedia Commons
