Taxi Driver and Goodfellas director Martin Scorsese is to receive an award for his documentary work at the Silverdocs festival.

Scorsese, who has famously never won an Academy Award, will be honoured for his non-fiction films including No Direction Home and his seven-part musical history Martin Scorsese Presents: The Blues.

Festival organisers commented that the award was a recognition of the director's "deep appreciation for American cultural history".

The festival's director Patricia Finneran said "I think his stories about great musical artists really help us understand our American musical culture".