Academy Award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn (Alice doesn’t live here anymore, The exorcist) will be honored at this year’s Venice Film Festival with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
Burstyn will attend the 83rd Venice Film Festival and receive her award at the screening of her film Body effectA new short film directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal (Bride!) which stars Berstein alongside Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, and Sepideh Mowafi.
“Awesome! Not only will I be able to travel to one of my most favorite cities in the entire world. I’ll be coming home holding a golden lion in my arms!” Borstein said in a statement. “I feel so proud, so happy, and so full of gratitude! Wow!”
Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera described the 93-year-old Boorstin as an actress of “rare intensity and truth” and praised her long and enduring career. He said that Burstyn has been present in American cinema for more than fifty years, “bringing depth and complexity to unforgettable female characters who embody the contradictions and transformations of contemporary women.”
Barbera highlighted Berstyn’s most famous performances, including her Oscar-nominated turn in Peter Bogdanovich’s film. Show last image (1971), William Friedkin The exorcist (1973), Martin Scorsese Alice doesn’t live here anymore (1974) – the film that won her the Academy Award for Best Actress – and Darren Aronofsky Requiem for a Dream (2000), as well as her lesser-known work with independent authors.
“Over the years I have worked with some of the most important film directors of the time: Alain Resnais ProvidencePaul Schrader in HardcoreBob Rafelson in King of Marvin GardensPaul Mazursky in Alex in Wonderland, Harry and Tontohe said, also checking out the name of her collaboration with Christopher Nolan Interstellar (2014).
“Her art, which can illuminate everyday pain and resilience with dignity, irony and courage, remains an absolute model of authenticity in performance and civic engagement in the craft of acting,” he said.
In total, Burstyn received six Academy Award nominations, five of which were for Best Actress. She is also an Emmy, Tony, BAFTA and Golden Globe award winner. The octogenarian actress is still active. She recently re-collaborated with Pieces of a woman (2020) director Kornél Mundruczó about his upcoming drama A place to be.
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival takes place from September 2 to 12. The festival will reveal the full 2026 lineup on July 23.
