Quebecois filmmaker Michel Brault is being recognized by the prestigious Hot Docs festival with an Outstanding Achievement Award for his substantial body of work.

The award, announced today, will be bestowed alongside a retrospective at this year’s festival, which is set to run April 26 to May 6, 2012.

“We are extremely excited to celebrate Michel’s work and honour him with this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award,” said Hot Docs director of programming Charlotte Cook in a statement. “As a pioneer in fiction, non-fiction and cinematography, his work has helped define direct cinema, influencing filmmaking worldwide from the 50s to present day.”

Also being recognized is Toronto’s John Kastner, who will be the subject of Hod Docs’ 2012 Focus On retrospective.

“We’re grateful that John will be taking a break from filming his next project to join us at this year’s festival,” says Cook. “Given his long history with Hot Docs, it is very fitting for us to present a major retrospective of his work.”

Past recipients and Hot Docs guests include Terence Macartney-Filgate (2011), Kim Longinotto (2010), Alanis Obomsawin (2009), Richard Leacock (2008), Heddy Honigmann (2007), Werner Herzog (2006), Errol Morris (2005), Michael Maclear (2004), Nick Broomfield (2003), Frederick
Wiseman (2002), D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (2000) and Albert Maysles (1999).

Photo: NFB.com