George Clooney will be honored with the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, organizers announced Monday. The festival is scheduled to run from Sept. 2 to Sept. 12.
Clooney, who has had numerous memorable appearances at the festival over the years, expressed his gratitude. "I’ve had so many extraordinary moments in Venice. This festival is without question my favorite and to be given the Golden Lion is a tremendous honor," he said in a statement. "It also probably means I’m old, but I’ll take it."
His past festival appearances include screenings of Steven Soderbergh’s 1998 film "Out of Sight" and his 2005 directorial effort "Good Night, and Good Luck." Last year, he presented Noah Baumbach’s "Jay Kelly," in which he portrays a movie star grappling with an existential crisis while awaiting a lifetime achievement award.
Festival director Alberto Barbera described Clooney as "a complete and charismatic artist, impassioned and original, who has transformed a deep vocation into one of the most luminous parabolas of contemporary film." Barbera also noted Clooney's "perfect combination of the star glamour of days gone by, remarkable professionalism, and modern sensitivity, the actor has crossed the genres with rare versatility."
In addition to his film career, Venice holds personal significance for Clooney, as it was the location where he married Amal Alamuddin in 2014.