New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Amitabh Bachchan will be conferred upon with the prestigious 2021 FIAF Award by the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), the worldwide organisation of film archives and museums from across the world, at a virtual showcase scheduled to take place on March 19.

"I am greatly honoured to receive the FIAF Award for the year 2021, for a cause that I am deeply committed to. We must strengthen the idea that film archiving is as essential as filmmaking, and I do hope that we are able to garner further support for this most essential cause from my colleagues in the film industry and the government, to enable us to realise our dream for building a centre that will preserve and showcase our magnificent film heritage," said Bachchan.

The 78-year-old Bollywood icon's name was nominated by the FIAF affiliate Film Heritage Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation founded by filmmaker and archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, dedicated to the preservation, restoration, documentation, exhibition, and study of India's film heritage.

"We have been fortunate enough to enjoy the unstinting support of our ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, who has championed the cause of saving our film heritage, and constructively wielded his influence to amplify the cause on a war footing in our part of the world. This is the reason we nominated him for the award, and he was unanimously voted by all FIAF members," he said.

Filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan, who have been previous recipients, will give the award to Big B for his dedication and contribution to the preservation of and access to the world's film heritage for the benefit of present and future generations, at a virtual presentation.

"Amitabh Bachchan's advocacy for preserving India's film legacy has been exceptional. With a career spanning over five decades, he is a celebrated actor who has put the considerable weight of his reputation behind the cause of film preservation in India and the entire subcontinent. They could not have chosen a more deserving individual to recognise this year," said filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

"As a past recipient of the FIAF Award, I know how imperative it is that representatives of the film industry around the world come together to ensure that we preserve our film heritage. I want to congratulate Amitabh Bachchan on receiving the 2021 honour. As the ambassador for Film Heritage Foundation, he has played an essential role in putting the cause of film preservation on the map in India and the subcontinent," said filmmaker Christopher Nolan.

--IANS smg/vnc