Sigourney Weaver to Be Feted with Honorary Golden Lion Award at Venice Film Festival

Three-time Oscar-nominated actress Sigourney Weaver will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.

Weaver commented, “To be gifted this award is a privilege I share with all the filmmakers and collaborators I have worked with throughout the years. I proudly accept this award in celebration of all who have helped bring these films to life.”

Venice’s director Alberto Barbera, whose mandate was just renewed, said, “An actress of the caliber of Sigourney Weaver has few rivals. Strengthened by her significant theatrical training, she won over the great film-going public with ‘Alien,’ directed by Ridley Scott, soon becoming an emblematic figure of the 1980s.”

“During the course of that decade, she forged the image of a heroine unprecedented in the action film genre, able to victoriously rival the male models who, up to that point, had dominated epic and adventure movies," Barbera continued. "Not satisfied with having blazed the trail for powerful female actors, the actress ceaselessly continued her search for a personal identity,”.

The artistic director also pointed out Weaver’s collaboration with filmmakers such as James Cameron, Paul Schrader, Peter Weir, Michael Apted, Roman Polanski, Ivan Reitman, Mike Nichols, and Ang Lee.

“The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement is just recognition for a star who has built bridges between the most sophisticated art-house cinema and movies that engage with the public in a frank and original way, all the while remaining true to herself,” Barbera said.

Her prolific career is far from being over. In recent years, Weaver appeared in season 4 of the hit French series “Call My Agent!” which won an International Emmy.

She lined up film roles in Philippe Falardeau’s “My Salinger Year,” which opened Berlin 2020; Phyllis Nagy’s drama film “Call Jane,” Wallace Wolodarsky’s “The Good House;” James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of the Water;” Paul Schrader’s “Master Gardener.” 

Weaver also starred and executive produced the Amazon Studios’ mini-series “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.” Up next, she will star in the black comedy “Dust Bunny” alongside Mads Mikkelsen, and “The Gorge” with Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy.

The full line-up of the 81st edition will be announced on July 23.