Film historian and conservationist Kevin Brownlow will receive aspecial award in honour of his work at the 18th Annual American Society ofCinematographers (ASC) Outstanding Achievement Awards on Feb 8 in Los Angeles.

Brownlow is being honoured in recognition of his "unique andsuccessful efforts to preserve irreplaceable silent movies and document thehistory of that seminal era in film history".

Brownlow is a self-taught historian, as well as an author andfilm-maker, who has dedicated his life's work to the restoration andpreservation of silent films. In 1979 he completed the restoration of AbelGance's classic 1927 version of Napoleon and is currently making a documentary about the life ofCecil B De Mille.

"Kevin Brownlow has earned ourgratitude and respect for his unflinching dedication to preserving an importantpart of our culture," Owen Roizman, chairman of the ASC's awards committee,said in a statement.

"He has madeincomparable contributions to illuminating our understanding of the earlyhistory of our art form. If not for his efforts, many important films and theirhistory would have been lost forever."