Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki is to receive the Douglas Sirk Award at this year's Filmfest Hamburg (September 23-29) during the German premiere of his Cannes prize-winner The Man Without A Past.

The Award, which honours an individual 'for his or her distinguished contribution to film culture, to cinematic art and cinematic creativity', was launched in 1995, and past recipients have included Clint Eastwood, Stephen Frears, Jodie Foster, Jim Jarmusch, Wong Kar-wai, and - last yeaSr - the Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi (Baran).