L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres ('Order of Arts and Letters') is a French award for significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields. It was first established in 1957 and was confirmed as part of l'Ordre National du Mérite by Charles de Gaulle in 1963. It is not limited to French nationals, nor to those who work in France or in French (recipients have included, for instance, the Austrian film director Michael Haneke and the Chinese writer Han Shaogong). There are three grades, with no more than twenty commandeurs, sixty officiers, and two hundred chevaliers awarded each year. The recipient must be aged at least thirty to be made a chevalier, and can only be promoted to the next rank after five years. 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... General Charles André Joseph Marie De Gaulle ( â–¶ (help· info)) (November 22, 1890-November 9, 1970), in France commonly referred to as général De Gaulle or Le Général, was a French military leader and statesman. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Michael Haneke (born 23 March 1942 in Munich, Bavaria, Germany) is a controversial Austrian filmmaker and writer best known for his bleak and disturbing style. ... Han Shaogong is a prominent and innovative Chinese writer (born in 1953 in Hunan). ...