Tim Burton, Helena Bonham carter receive BFI fellowships at 56th London Film Festival Awards

London, United Kingdom (4E) – Director Tim Burton and his partner actress Helena Bonham Carter have each received BFI fellowships at this year’s London Film Festival Awards held Saturday at Banqueting House in London’s Whitehall .

“It’s good because there’s no jealousy at home. It’s very handy and very thoughtful for them to give us both one at the same time,” Bonham Carter, whose award was presented by Sir Trevor Nunn, said.

“I never thought I was particularly good at this. I’ve certainly had my bad reviews over the years, but I kept going. My dad’s motto is KBO which stands for ‘Keep buggering on’, so I will dad,” she went on.

Meanwhile, Burton, whose award was presented by Sir Christopher Lee, said, “I can’t quite believe this because I’m not British.”

“I grew up on British films, Hammer films, James Bond, The Wicker Man,” he continued.

“Coming from Los Angeles where you feel like you’re in a film business, one of the things I love here is you’re constantly reminded it’s an art form, so that makes it a special honour,” Burton said.

Meanwhile, Sir Christopher Lee, upon presenting the award, said, “Burton is one of the greatest directors of any time. One can only imagine what cinema would look like if Tim had not put his indelible thumb print on it.”

He added, “I’ve worked with Tim several times and I think he’s a great director and a close friend. I hope this won’t be taken as too much of a hint to appear in his next film!”

Other awardees in the ceremony were director Benh Zeitlin, who got the Sutherland Award for his debut feature “Beasts of the Southern Wild”; writer-director Alex Gibney who bagged the Grierson Award for Best Documentary for “Mea Maxima Culpa”; writer-director Sally El Hosaini who was named the Best British Newcomer for “My Brother the Devil”; and, Jacques Audiard, who won the Best Film Award for “Rust and Bone.”