Ellen Burstyn receives Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at Venice Film Festival

At the 83rd Venice Film Festival, 93-year-old American actress Ellen Burstyn was honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Burstyn, a recipient of the ‘Triple Crown of Acting’ including an Oscar, Tony, and Emmy, received the award from jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal during an emotional ceremony.

In her acceptance speech, Burstyn reflected on her long career and the significant evolution of women's roles in the film industry. She noted that when she began her career over six decades ago, film sets were almost exclusively male-dominated, with women largely restricted to acting roles rather than technical positions.

The ceremony coincided with the world premiere of ‘Flesh Impact’, a short film directed by Gyllenhaal. The project, commissioned by Genesis, features Burstyn portraying an imagined 100-year-old version of Marilyn Monroe, with Dakota Johnson playing the icon in earlier stages. The film explores the persona Monroe created and the vulnerability of the actress.