New York-based non-profit NewFest wil recognise the director with the third annual NewFest Visionary Award at its annual LGBT jamboree that runs from July 24-29.

“To be able to make films with gay characters at their centre is as hard today as it was when I first started making movies in 1991,” said Sachs, whose Love Is Strange premiered at Sundance.

“Without community events like NewFest, I don’t think we’d have a queer cinema in America. If ‘visionary’ means a belief in the continued future and importance of LGBT cinema, I’m deeply honoured to accept.”

Sachs’ credits include Forty Shades Of Blue and Keep The Lights On. SPC will release Love Is Strange starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina on August 22. 

Oscar-nominated production designer Jim Bissell will receive the Art Directors’ Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on January 31, 2015. Bissell’s credits include E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and most recently The Monuments Men.