Sir Steve McQueen, the celebrated filmmaker behind 12 Years a Slave and Widows, will receive the 2024 SF Honors Award for his latest film Blitz, the San Francisco Film Festival (SFFILM) announced today. The British director, whose films have earned him an Academy Award and two BAFTAs, among many other accolades, will attend a special screening and presentation on December 3 at San Francisco's Premier Theater at One Letterman. The festival's director of programming, Jessie Fairbanks, praised McQueen's "ability to confront difficult subject matter with profound sensitivity and uncompromising visual style."

McQueen, who is the subject of a concise career survey at Dia Chelsea through summer 2025, is the rare artist who has succeeded in the upper reaches of both the visual art world and Hollywood. He won the Tate's prestigious Turner Prize in 1999 and represented Britain at the 2009 Venice Biennale; his feature film 12 Years a Slave won an Oscar for Best Picture, a BAFTA Award for Best Film, and a Golden Globe for Best Drama in 2013. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2020 for his contributions to art and film. 

McQueen will attend the SFFILM to accept the award and participate in a post-screening discussion. The film, which debuts globally on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22, follows the story of a 9-year-old boy named George (first-time actor Elliott Heffernan) who is evacuated to the English countryside during World War II, only to attempt a return to his mother (Saoirse Ronan) and grandfather (Paul Weller) in East London. The film's distinguished creative team includes composer Hans Zimmer.

The SF Honors, established in 2016, celebrates one film annually that showcases exceptional filmmaking demonstrating unique vision and artistic courage. In recent years, the award has been given to films including La La Land, Darkest Hour, and CODA. "Blitz represents the pinnacle of bold, fearless filmmaking that SF Honors celebrates," said SFFILM Board President Todd Traina.

The Dec. 3 screening will begin at 7:30 p.m., with tickets available at sffilm.org.