New Zealand director Jane Campion has received the Carrosse d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Campion was honoured by her peers at the opening of the Directors' Fortnight on Thursday. Previous recipients include Clint Eastwood.
The Carrosse d'Or (Golden Coach) is a tribute by the Film Directors Society to reward innovative qualities, courage and independent-mindedness in directing.
The only other woman to win the award since it was created in 2002 was French director Agnes Varda in 2010.
Campion, 59, is the only woman to have won the Palme d'Or at Cannes for her 1993 film The Piano. She also won the short film prize for Peel in 1986 and is president of the short film jury at this year's festival.
She dedicated the award to the many directors who inspired her and their films.
"The passion I feel towards them made me want to be a director."
