Another day, another Palm Springs Film Festival award announcement. The fest’s latest honoree is Steve McQueen, who has been named Director of the Year for “12 Years a Slave,” and will receive the prize at an awards gala on January 4. For those of you keeping score, the British filmmaker joins Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock and Career Achievement Award winner Bruce Dern on the winners’ list. As with the other Palm Springs awards, the director prize usually goes to an imminent Oscar nominee, though last year’s recipient, Robert Zemeckis for “Flight,” was an exception. “[McQueen] is a master of utilizing the senses to create the essence of his works,” says Palm Springs chief Harold Metzner. [PSIFF]

A good day for Steve McQueen superlatives: GQ has also named him Auteur of the Year. [GQ]

Robert Duvall lobbies for Oscar attention for the casting-themed documentary “Casting By.” [The Wrap]

Stephen Fry will host the BAFTA Awards for the ninth time. [Hollywood Reporter]

Last weekend’s fourth honorary Oscar recipient, costume designer Piero Tosi, was largely sidelined in coverage of the event. (Partly because he wasn’t there.) Tim Brayton offers a reminder of his work. [The Film Experience] 

Alfonso Cuaron joins the “TV is better than film” brigade. You can’t really make a “Gravity” for TV, though. [Indiewire]

Daniel Walber marvels at the work of cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, from “Amelie” to “Harry Potter” to “Faust.” (No mention of “Inside Llewyn Davis,” though.) [Film.com]

Supporting Actress hopeful Octavia Spencer explains why “Fruitvale Station” is “bigger than anything [she’s] ever done.” [LA Times]

“Long Walk to Freedom” star Naomie Harris defends the controversial legacy of Winnie Mandela. [The Guardian]

Clayton Davis considers a couple of typos on the Weinsteins’ FYC page for “Fruitvale Station.” They are just typos, right? [Awards Circuit]

Hollywood animal wrangler Sled Reynolds, whose work stretches from “Gladiator” to “Life of Pi” to this year’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” gives an insight into his hairy profession. [The Credits]

Tim Gray takes a step back from the frenzied activity to appreciate the “goofy fun” of awards season. [Variety]