Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement (Italian: Leone d'oro alla carriera, lit. 'Career Golden Lion') is an award given at the Venice Film Festival. It is awarded to directors, actors and other personalities from the world of cinema who have distinguished themselves in the art. It joins the Golden Lion, the festival's highest prize, which is instead awarded to a film in competition.^[1]

LocationVenice

CountryItaly

Presented byVenice Film Festival

First award1969

Quick facts Location, Country ...

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
Leone d'oro alla carriera (Italian)
2025 co-recipient: Werner Herzog
Location	Venice
Country	Italy
Presented by	Venice Film Festival
First award	1969
Currently held by	Werner Herzog and Kim Novak (2025)
Website	labiennale.org/cinema

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Among the winners include filmmakers such as Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Ingmar Bergman, Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, Hayao Miyazaki, and Pedro Almodovar and actors which include Sophia Loren, Catherine Deneuve, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jane Fonda, Al Pacino, Julie Andrews, and Tilda Swinton as well many other figures of international film.^[2]

The prize was established with its present name in 1971.^[3] Previously, the equivalent prize was the Omaggio per il complesso dell'opera, awarded in 1969 and 1970.^[2] Previously, such tributes were given in the form of retrospectives. The award was not given between 1973 and 1981, nor in 1984.^[4] In 1982, there were twelve winners.^[2]