Arnold Schwartzman: Margate honours Oscar-winning director

Arnold Schwartzman has become an Honorary Freeman of Margate

An Oscar-winning director has been honoured in the town where he grew up.

Arnold Schwartzman became an Honorary Freeman of Margate, Kent, in a ceremony held on Friday.

The director, designer and author won the Academy Award for best documentary film, Genocide, in 1982.

He said he was "greatly in shock at the wonderful news" of the honour which he deemed "more significant to me than all the other accolades I have been honoured to receive over the years".

The ceremony took place at The Turner Contemporary gallery in the town.

The actor Sir Ben Kingsley attended the ceremony to pay tribute to Schwartzman.

Sir Ben Kingsley led the tributes to Arnold Schwartzman

Born in east London in 1936, Schwartzman moved to Margate when he was aged nine. His parents ran the Majestic Hotel in Cliftonville.

He went on to become the assistant projectionist at the Cameo cinema in the town, but eventually moved to Los Angeles to be a graphic artist.

Councillor Rob Yates, the mayor of Margate, said: "Arnold has supported Margate throughout his successful career and has been, and remains, an asset to the town."

Rob Garratt, head teacher of Holy Trinity and St John Church of England Primary School, in Margate, which Schwartzman attended, offered his congratulations on his coveted achievement.

He said: "As a school in the heart of Margate, we're always delighted to hear about people who have grown up here and forged successful careers for themselves and then continued to support the town.

"We wish Arnold Schwartzman all the best as a Freeman of Margate and would welcome him if he wanted to come and inspire our children and show them his Oscar."

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