Mendes for lifetime achievement award

British film-maker Sam Mendes is to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors’ Guild of Britain - at the age of 39.

The Oscar-winning director, who is married to Kate Winslet, will be honoured at the Guild's second annual award ceremony in London next month - despite having only directed two Hollywood movies, American Beauty and Road To Perdition.

Before launching his Hollywood career, Mendes was known in his native Britain as a successful theatre director.

Past recipients include The Shining film-maker Stanley Kubrick and Midnight Cowboy creator John Schlesinger.