On Sunday 19 February 2006, Lord Puttnamwill receive the Academy Fellowship at BAFTA's annualawards ceremony. The Award presented by Lord Attenborough, President of theAcademy, will be for outstanding contribution to world cinema. Luminaries toreceive the Fellowship Award include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, SeanConnery and Stanley Kubrick.

David Puttnam in similarfashion to other directors such as Ridley Scott started his career in theadvertising industry. As a highly successful independent film producer over thirtyyears his award-winning films include TheMission, The Killing Fields, Local Hero, Chariots of Fire, Midnight Expressand Bugsy Malone.

Duncan Kenworthy OBE, Chairof the Academy, said: "There are very few producers in the world whosename means something to an audience, and David Puttnamis one of them. His extraordinaryreputation rests as much on the inspirational appeal and intelligence of hisfilms as on their production values - one suspectsaudiences come away changed as well as entertained. We are proud and delighted to add the name ofLord Puttnam to the Academy's roster of filmgreats".

During his film career his films were honoured with54 BAFTA nominations, winning a total of 26 Awards.

Lord Puttnam was also Chairand Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Pictures from 1986 to 1988 - the onlynon-American ever to run a Hollywood Studio. He was awarded a CBE in 1982, received a Knighthood in 1995 and was appointed to the Houseof Lords in 1997.

He retired from film production in 1998 and was VicePresident of BAFTA from 1994 to 2004.