Sir Alan Parker has been made officer in the Order of Arts and Letters, one of France's top cultural honours.

Presenting Parker (The Commitments; Angela's Ashes; The Life of David Gale) with his award, French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres told him: "You have explored the possibilities of film with an immense talent."

He referred to the director's "veritable artistic commitment against the death sentence" in The Life of David Gale, and that his Midnight Express found favour with six million French fans, reports the Associated Press.

As he received his award, Sir Alan said: "I am privileged and honoured to be thus distinguished by France, the flag carrier of cinema throughout the world.

"Hollywood, which created modern cinema, uses it only as a commodity."