Carlos de Abreu, founder and executive producer of the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, announced today that director Lee Daniels will be honored with the “Hollywood Director Award.” The honor will be presented at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony on Monday evening, October 21st, 2013, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

“It’s a great honor for us to recognize Lee’s outstanding work with this top directing honor of the year. His tremendous vision and versatility provides us with films that are both critical and box office successes,” said de Abreu.

The Hollywood Film Awards honors cherished stars, filmmakers, and up-and-coming talent, and traditionally kicks off the film awards season with Hollywood stars and industry executives in attendance. Past “Hollywood Director Award” honorees have included Kathryn Bigelow, Clint Eastwood, Marc Foster, Tom Hooper, Ron Howard, Michael Mann, Sam Mendes, Bennett Miller, Martin Scorsese, and Oliver Stone among others.

The 2013 Hollywood Film Awards has also announced that it will be honoring  actress Lupita Nyong’o with the “New Hollywood Award” for 12 Years A Slave, actor David Oyelowo for Lee Daniels’ The Butler, and director Steve McQueen with the “Hollywood Breakout Director Award.”

There are others who will be feted that evening, including producer Jerry Weintraub with the “Hollywood Legend Award,” Harrison Ford with this year’s “Hollywood Career Achievement Award,” Sandra Bullock with the “Hollywood Actress Award,” screenwriters Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater with the “Hollywood Screenwriter Award,” and others.

The Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 21, 2013.

Congrats to all!