Veteran British director Ken Loach has fuelled rumours his next film will be his last as he picked up a lifetime achievement award at the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany.
The acclaimed moviemaker received the coveted Golden Bear prize during the Berlinale festivities on Thursday night in honour of his lengthy movie career, which has spanned six decades.
However Loach, 77, hinted he may step away from showbusiness in the near future when he was asked about his upcoming projects during a press conference, suggesting his 2014 film Jimmy Hall may be his last.
"Well it was a good film to do but it's quite hard work... And there comes a point when the spirit is willing but the flesh is maybe not so capable so... I don't know," he said.
"Maybe... we'll have to see. It (making movies) does need a kind of physical stamina that you tend to lose when you get into the wrong end of the 70s... We'll see.
"It's such an extraordinary medium to be able to work in, so it's not a privilege you give up lightly..."
The director's long-time producing partner Rebecca O'Brien sparked rumours about his possible retirement in 2013 when she said of Jimmy Hall: "This is probably the last narrative feature for Ken... I think we should go out while we're on top... It requires a lot of physical and mental stamina.
"Realistically, I'd be very surprised if we made another feature after this one."
