82nd Venice Film Festival honors Kim Novak with Golden Lion

The 82nd Venice Film Festival will honor American actress Kim Novak, best known for her role in Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo," with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The documentary "Kim Novak's Vertigo," by Alexandre Philippe and made in collaboration with the artist, will be released during the festival, which will run from August 27 to September 6.

"She [Novak], who rose to the role of diva without wanting to, was one of the most beloved protagonists of an entire era of Hollywood cinema, from her casual debut in the mid-1950s until her premature and voluntary exile from the 'golden prison of Los Angeles' [Hollywood], shortly after. A system that the actress never stopped criticizing, choosing roles and even her [stage] name", said Alberto Barbera, artistic director of the festival, during the announcement of the choice of the actress, born Marilyn Pauline Novak, for the Golden Lion for her career.

The director also recalled that Novak, "independent and non-conformist, created his own production company and protested against the salary he received at the time, which was lower than that of male actors."

Novak became one of the leading names in cinema in the late 1950s and early 1960s, thanks to films now considered classics, such as Joshua Logan's "Picnic" (1955), Otto Preminger's "The Man with the Golden Arm" (1955), George Sidney's "My Two Loves" (1957); and Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (1958), in which she played two characters in the role of a lifetime.

"The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement aims to honor a free-spirited star, a rebel at the heart of the system, who lit up the dreams of cinephilia before retiring to a ranch in Oregon to dedicate herself to painting and horses," concluded Barbera.

"I am very, very excited to receive this prestigious award from such a respected film festival," Novak said. "To be recognized for my work at this point in my life is a dream come true," the 92-year-old actress added. "I will cherish every moment I experienced in Venice. It will forever be in my heart."