Daldry, whose latest film Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close opens in the US on Dec 25, will collect the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) Director Of The Year Award on Jan 7.

“Stephen Daldry has garnered international acclaim as a director, bringing his consummate skill to both the cinema and stage,” festival chairman Harold Matzner said.

“In his latest work, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,he directs a virtuoso cast in the story of a young boy who, after losing his father on 9/11, goes on a quest to learn what an unusual key found in his father’s possessions may unlock.”

Previous Director Of The Year honourees include Ang Lee, Anthony Minghella, Alexander Payne, Sean Penn, Jason Reitman and David O Russell.

The PSIFF is schedule to run from Jan 5-16, 2012.