George Clooney to receive Golden Lion at Venice Festival

Actor and filmmaker George Clooney will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival this September. The festival's organizers announced the honor on Monday, July 6, 2026.

Clooney, 65, is a frequent presence at the festival, having first appeared nearly three decades ago with the 1998 film Out of Sight. In a statement, Clooney said he has had many extraordinary moments in Venice and called the festival his favorite. He added that receiving the Golden Lion is a tremendous honor, joking that it probably means he is old.

Festival director Alberto Barbera praised Clooney as a complete and charismatic artist whose work spans acting, directing, and producing. Barbera said Clooney transformed a deep vocation into one of the most luminous trajectories in contemporary film, combining star glamour, professionalism, and modern sensitivity while crossing genres with rare versatility.

The actor's long history with the festival includes the premieres of films he directed, such as Good Night, and Good Luck in 2005, The Ides of March, and Suburbicon. His other notable Venice appearances include Gravity in 2013, Michael Clayton in 2007, and last...