'For bringing his consummate skill to the cinema and stage' : Stephen Daldry, Emeritus Fellow, wins Palm Springs Director of the Year Award

It has been announced that former Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre and Emeritus Fellow, Stephen Daldry, has been named 'Director of the Year' at the 2012 Palm Springs Festival. Announcing the award for his latest film, 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close', the Festival's Chairman praised a director who had 'garnered international acclaim for bringing his consummate skill to the cinema and stage', heralding Stephen as a 'director's director'.

'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' tells the story of a young boy who loses his father in the September 11 attacks in New York and is the latest addition to Stephen's impressive résumé. He secured Best Director Academy Award nominations for his first three films, Billy Elliot, The Hours and The Reader, while his theatre credits include the West End production of Billy Elliot, The Royal Court's A Number, Far Away by Caryl Churchill and An Inspector Calls for the National.

He took up his post as Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor in 2002, succeeding the set designer John Napier, before handing over to distinguished lyricist Sir Tim Rice in 2003.