The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) will honor award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee with a Fellowship at the 74th EE British Academy Film Awards on April 11.

Marc Samuelson, chair of BAFTA's Film Committee, said: "Ang Lee is a master of his craft. He is an incredibly versatile, daring and exceptional filmmaker who effortlessly moves between genres. His films have been truly ground-breaking both in terms of their technical expertise and for the subject matters he tackles."

He continued, "His pioneering work on 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'Life of Pi' and so many other titles not only showcase his technical ability and deep understanding of the filmmaking process, but also his ability to infuse every story -- no matter how epic or simple -- with humanizing characters to whom we can all relate on an emotional level through his exceptional work. We are thrilled to present him with BAFTA's highest honor."

Awarded annually, the Fellowship is the highest accolade bestowed by BAFTA upon an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television. Lee will join those previously honored for their work, including great names such as Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Taylor, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Sidney Poitier, Sir Ridley Scott and more. 

Ang Lee first rose to prominence in the 1990s with his "Father Knows Best" comedy trilogy consisting of "Pushing Hands", "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman", all of which he co-wrote, produced and directed. 

In 2000, Lee produced and directed the martial arts action-adventure "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", one of his most critically acclaimed masterpieces. The film appealed to a global audience, igniting people's enthusiasm for Chinese kung fu films and grossing over $213 million worldwide. It also won lots of awards, including four BAFTA Film Awards and four Oscars, such as a BAFTA for best Director and Film not in the English Language and an Oscar for a Foreign Language Film.

Later, Lee continued to deliver other cinematic classics such as "Brokeback Mountain" and the 3D CGI epic "Life of Pi", garnering more such awards (including two Best Director Awards for each of these two films at the Oscars) and seeing his work became box office hits. His other directing credits include "Lust, Caution", "Hulk", "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" and most recently "Gemini Man."

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