France’s ambassador to Portugal, Jean-François Blarel, gave the Grand officier de la Legion d’honneur (Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour) accolade to Oliveira in a small ceremony in the filmmaker’s birthtown of Porto.

Oliveira, who is only the fourth Portuguese person to receive the medal, is to celebrate his 106th birthday on Thursday.

The veteran cineaste, who brought out his first film in 1931, is still working and is considered the world’s oldest working film director.

On Thursday, his latest short movie, “O Velho do Restelo” (“The Old Man of Belem”) is to be screened in Lisbon, after getting its premiere at the Venice film festival this year.