Steve McQueen to be honoured

Steve McQueen is to be honoured by the European Film Academy.

The director will receive the European Achievement in World Cinema prize at the ceremony in Latvia on December 13. It's an honorary award, with organisers confirming he is the recipient today.

Steve began his career as a video artist making short movies, which were usually in black and white. Things really took off for him in 2008 when his flick Hunger was released. It starred Michael Fassbender as Irish Republican Bobby Sands and told the story of how he led a number of prison inmates in a hunger strike. It was a hit with fans and critics alike, picking up 43 awards, among them the Carl Foreman BAFTA Award for the Most Promising Newcomer for Steve, as well as a prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

His next feature film was 2011's Shame, which again starred Michael - this time as a sex addict called Brandon. It followed the central character as his life was turned upside down by the arrival of his sister and was again lauded, taking home 45 gongs.

Last year the director's latest effort, 12 Years a Slave, made the screens and was a smash hit. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as a free black man who was sold into slavery, it boasted Brad Pitt as a producer and also as Chiwetel's co-star. The film received three Oscars, best picture, best supporting actress for Lupita Nyong'o and best adapted screenplay for John Ridley.

In the past Steve has praised the stars of 12 Years a Slave - which also boasted Fassbender, Quvenzhané Wallis and Michael K. Williams - saying he couldn't have made the film without them.

"I am in awe of actors and what they do. I chose the best actors for the roles and they showed up and delivered every day. And not only did they turn out to be the most amazing actors, they are the best people," Steve gushed to Variety.com.