Los Angeles, Jan 19 (IANS): Spike 'Do The Right Thing' Lee will receive the lifetime achievement award for distinguished achievement in motion picture direction from the Directors Guild of America (DGA).

The last recipient of the prestigious award, which has been given to only 35 directors in 74 years, was Ridley Scott in 2017. Past recipients include Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Steven Spielberg and Milos Forman, according to 'Variety'.

Lee will be honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the DGA's 74th annual awards ceremony on March 12.

"Icon. Trailblazer. Visionary. Spike Lee has changed the face of cinema and there is no single word that encapsulates his significance to the craft of directing," DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter said.

"From his groundbreaking 'Do the Right Thing', 'BlacKkKlansman' and everything in between -- to his signature 'double dolly' shot, Spike is an innovator on so many levels," Glatter noted, adding: "His bold and passionate storytelling over the past three decades has masterfully entertained, as it held a stark mirror to our society and culture."