Director Stephen Daldry to Be Honored at Palm Springs Film Festival

According to the Hollywoodreporter.com, Director Stephen Daldry will be honored with an award for 'Director of the Year' at this year's Palm Springs Film Festival for his latest film, 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'. The three-time Oscar nominee will receive his honor at a gala event taking place on January 7, 2012.

In announcing the award, Harold Matzner, the festival chairman said, "Stephen Daldry has garnered international acclaim as a director, bringing his consummate skill to both the cinema and stage."

'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close', tells the story of a young boy who loses his father in the 9/11 attacks. Upon discovering an unusual key that was owned by his father, he begins a search to learn more about the mysterious object. Along the way, he discovers more about his late father.

The Palm Springs Film Festival will run from January 5 - 16, 2012.

Among Stephen Daldry's many theater credits are the West End production of Billy Elliot, The Royal Court Theatre's A Number, Far Away by Caryl Churchill (also at the Albery Theatre and New York Theatre Workshop); Via Dolorosa by David Hare (also at the Duchess Theatre and on Broadway); Rat in the Skull by Ron Hutchinson (Royal Court Classic Season); Body Talk; The Kitchen by Arnold Wesker; The Editing Process by Meredith Oakes; Search and Destroy by Howard Korder.

For The National Theatre, he directed An Inspector Calls (also West End, Broadway and worldwide); Machinal. For the Gate Theatre, Damned for Despair; The Fleisser Plays (with Annie Castledine); Figaro Gets Divorced.

Daldry was Artistic Director of The Royal Court Theatre from 1992-98, the Gate Theatre (1989-92) and the Metro Theatre Company (1984-86). He is on the Board of the Young and Old Vic Theatres and remains an Associate Director of the Royal Court. Daldry was the Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre for 2002 at St Catherine's College, Oxford. He has won many awards for his theatrical work both in the UK and the USA.

Film and TV credits include The Reader with Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, two "Omnibus" programmes for BBC2. His first feature film Billy Elliot won over 40 awards worldwide and received 3 Oscar nominations including Best Director. His second feature The Hours also won innumerable international awards including Best Picture at the Golden Globes and received nine Oscar and eleven BAFTA nominations.