Guillermo del Toro will receive the Motion Picture Sound Editors' Filmmaker Award at the organization's Golden Reel Awards, set to be held Feb. 19 at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.

“Guillermo del Toro’s relentless imagination and energy provide inspiration to all of us in the entertainment industry," MPSE president Tom McCarthy said Monday, Jan. 5 in a statement. "He is constantly surprising, challenging and delighting audiences worldwide. We are extremely proud to recognize his contributions to our industry and culture with our Filmmaker Award.”

Del Toro's directing credits include Hellboy, Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Oscar winner Pan’s Labyrinth and the forthcoming The Shape of Water. Earlier in his career, he worked as a special-effects makeup designer. He also has produced such titles as Biutiful, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss in Boots.

“Texturally and narratively, sound and image fuse in the cinematic experience," said del Toro. "I have spent as much time on the mixing board as I have on a stage, shooting or in a color-correction suite grading the final film. To paraphrase Mark Twain: 'The difference between the almost right sound and the right sound 'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.' I am thus delighted and honored to receive this award from my colleagues and partners in the storytelling experience.”