Riding high on critical acclaim for Hugo, the master filmmaker will attend the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) on Jan 30.

“Honouring Scorsese has been a dream of SBIFF’s for many years,” festival executive director Roger Durling said. “We’re thrilled that it’s happening during a year when this contemporary master of cinema is breaking new ground with Hugo.”

Scorsese will become the first director to receive the American Riviera Award. Previous recipients include Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Forrest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.

The festival’s 27th edition runs from Jan 26-Feb 5, 2012