Ellen Burstyn to Receive Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at Venice Film Festival 2026

American actress Ellen Burstyn has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, which will take place between September 2 and September 12, 2026.

The decision was approved by the Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia following a proposal by Artistic Director Alberto Barbera.

Burstyn becomes the second recipient of this year’s career honour after George Clooney, whose Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was announced earlier by the festival.

Widely regarded as one of the defining actresses of modern American cinema, Burstyn has built an extraordinary career spanning more than six decades across film, theatre and television. Her performances in The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Resurrection, Requiem for a Dream and Interstellar have secured her place among the most influential performers of her generation.

“I feel so honoured”

Accepting the award, Burstyn expressed her excitement with characteristic warmth.

“Wow! Not only do I get to travel to one of my favourite cities in the world, but I’ll be going home holding a Golden Lion in my arms. The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from the Venice Film Festival! I feel so honoured, so happy, so full of gratitude. Truly, wow!” said Ellen Burstyn.

Alberto Barbera: “An actress of rare intensity”

In announcing the award, Alberto Barbera praised Burstyn as an actress whose performances have consistently revealed emotional truth and extraordinary depth.

He highlighted her breakthrough in Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show, her international recognition with William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, and her Academy Award-winning performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. He also recalled her collaborations with filmmakers including Alain Resnais, Paul Schrader, Bob Rafelson, Paul Mazursky, Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan, describing her as a performer whose work has become a benchmark of authenticity and artistic integrity.

The award ceremony and Flesh Impact

Burstyn will receive the Golden Lion ahead of the world premiere of Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s short film Flesh Impact, a tribute to Marilyn Monroe marking the centenary of her birth.

The ceremony will be hosted by Greta Scarano and Nicolas Maupas, recently announced as the presenters of both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.

The short film stars Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Sepideh Moafi, and Burstyn. Johnson portrays Monroe at the height of her fame, while Burstyn plays an imagined older version of the Hollywood icon. The title Flesh Impact references the expression once used to describe Monroe’s almost tangible screen presence.

A career across six decades

Burstyn belongs to the exclusive group of performers who have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, having won an Academy Award, a Tony Award and two Emmy Awards. She has earned six Academy Award nominations and remains one of the most respected figures in American acting.

Her recent projects include The Exorcist: Believer, Mother, Couch, The First Lady and Law & Order: Organized Crime. She will next appear in Place To Be, directed by Kornél Mundruczó and co-starring Taika Waititi.