Lustig, a Jew born in Osijek in 1939, was detained in concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and after the Second World War returned, together with his mother, to Zagreb. He has won two Oscars as best producer of "Schindler's List" and "Gladiator".
"Your memories of the horrendous destiny of the Holocaust victims which you credibly presented in the world of film so that they would never be forgotten, help you win the award of the Yad Vashem Memorial Centre," the minister said in the message, adding that the award was also conferred on him for his excellent work in the film industry through which he also promoted a part of the Croatian culture in the world.