HE is one of the most respected film directors in the world.

But after receiving his BFI Fellowship at the London Film Festival last night, Danny Boyle admitted that he was “intimidated” by being in the company of heavyweights such as Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood and Sir Michael Caine, who are all past recipients of the fellowship, the highest honour the British Film Institute can bestow.

He told The Bolton News: “There are a lot of prestigious people have had this award. I’m quite happy to feel like the runt of the litter.”

The Radcliffe-born director received the accolade at an intimate ceremony at London’s Jerwood Hall.

The theatre and film producer and director Stephen Daldry, who presented Boyle with the award, said that he had been responsible for “some of the most vivid British films on living memory”, and praised the “vital beating human heart” of his films.

Accepting the trophy, a tearful Boyle stressed the importance of theatre as a breeding ground for new British talent, and said that we must “protect theatre at all costs” from any potential “savage cuts” in funding.

He said that the essence of filmmaking was “to seek forgiveness rather than to ask permission,” and urged filmmakers to “be bold.”

“Boldness has power and magic and genius in it – if you can dream of doing something, then do it,” he said.

Speaking after the ceremony, the former Thornleigh Salesian College pupil said that he could not have made any of his films without the support of a huge team of people.

“It’s wonderful that the films we make have been held up by the BFI as something to aspire to,” he said, before emphasising his commitment to filmmaking in the UK, saying that although his latest film, 127 Hours, was shot in Utah, the bulk of the work on the film was done in this country.

127 Hours was chosen to close the 54th London Film Festival tonight, following in the footsteps of Boyle’s Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, which was screened at the 2008 festival, making Boyle the only director to have been asked to feature twice in a closing gala.

“You could joke that we tried to close it once and failed, so we’re here again!” said the director.

For full coverage see The Bolton News tomorrow.