Lee Daniels will receive the Visionary Award at Outfest’s 9th annual Legacy Awards on November 21 in Los Angeles.

Daniels will receive the honour in recognition of his contribution to LGBT arts and media visibility.

“Lee Daniels is an exceptional filmmaker whose work has had, and will continue to have, a tremendous impact on both the LGBT community and culture at large,” said executive director Kirsten Schaffer.

“I am extremely flattered and humbled to be receiving this year’s Visionary Award,” said Daniels. “Outfest is an extraordinary organisation, and I cannot stress enough the importance of its mission. In both my professional and personal life, I constantly strive to represent and provide a voice for the LGBT community, and am so honored that the Legacy Awards have selected me as this year’s recipient.”

Daniel’s latest release, the ensemble drama Lee Daniel’s The Butler, has grossed more than $112m in North American through The Weinstein Company. IM Global handled international sales.