Director and actor Kenneth Branagh is set to be honoured with a top accolade at the 2016 London Critics’ Film Awards.

Branagh will be given the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film.

The award is named after Powell, who was an iconic British author and also renowned for her work as The Sunday Times’s film critic.

Cate Blanchett, Lily James and director Kenneth Branagh
Cate Blanchett, Lily James and director Kenneth (Todd Williamson/Invision/AP)

Branagh said: “As a young film-maker, I had the privilege of meeting Dilys Powell.

“She was passionate, rigorous, humane. Her criticism was illuminating, thoughtful and bracing. This recognition in her name is a great honour to me personally and very meaningful. My sincere thanks to the Critics’ Circle.”

The Hamlet star will receive his honour at the awards ceremony in January.

Kenneth and his wife (Stefan Rousseau/PA Archive/PA Images)
Kenneth and his wife Lindsay Brunnock (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Branagh’s career has spanned both TV, theatre and film equally successfully. He’s also nominated and won many prestigious accolades, among them a Bafta for his role as Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn.

As a film-maker he’s been nominated for five Oscars in different categories.

In 2012 he received a knighthood for his services to drama and to the community in Northern Ireland.

Past winners of the award include Ken Loach, Dame Judi Dench, Quentin Tarantino, Kristin Scott Thomas , Helena Bonham Carter and Gary Oldman.