British filmmaker Andrea Arnold is set to receive the Golden Coach Award at this year's Directors Fortnight, which runs alongside the Cannes Film Festival. The ceremony will take place on May 15 during the opening ceremony for Directors' Fortnight. The honorary award, handed out by the governing body of the Cannes sidebar the Society of French Directors (SFR), launched in 2002 and is handed out to filmmakers boasting 'innovative qualities, courage and independent-mindedness of his or her work.'
The French guild described Arnold as an 'avid explorer of the fringes of society' and 'a dynamiter of social film codes' who has 'a knack of sounding out the power of bodies and souls.' Arnold's latest film, 'Bird,' is rumored to be in the pipeline for this year's competition roster at the Cannes Film Festival.
