The Biennale said Monday that George Clooney will receive the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at this year's event, which takes place September 2-12, 2026.
    "I've had so many extraordinary moments in Venice," said the 65-year-old American actor, director and producer.
    "This festival is without question my favourite and to be given the Golden Lion is a tremendous honour.
    "It also probably means I'm old, but I'll take it".
    Alberto Barbera, the artistic director of the world's oldest cinema festival, described the twice Oscar winner as a "complete and charismatic artist...

who has transformed a deep vocation into one of the most luminous parabolas of contemporary film.
    "He is endowed with the gift of making his characters seem not only credible but desirable, approachable, and human, thanks to his undeniable charm," Barbera said.
    "But Clooney's charisma is constructed on his credibility, not on his image, because his seductive side has never been merely aesthetic.
    "A perfect combination of the star glamour of days gone by, remarkable professionalism, and modern sensitivity, the actor has crossed the genres with rare versatility".

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