Ellen Burstyn Honored with Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement at the 83rd Venice Film Festival

Ellen Burstyn, the Oscar-winning actress known for *The Exorcist* and *Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore*, will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The award will be presented during the screening of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s short film “Flesh Impact,” which stars Burstyn alongside Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard and Sepideh Moafi. The festival runs from September 2-12, 2026, with the full lineup to be announced on July 23.

Hollywood Reporter

Burstyn’s career spans more than six decades and includes over 100 films (some sources cite 150 titles). She earned six Academy Award nominations, five of them for Best Actress, and won the Oscar for Best Actress for Martin Scorsese’s *Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore* (1974). Her résumé also features an Emmy, a Tony, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe. Notable collaborations include work with directors Peter Bogdanovich (*The Last Picture Show*), William Friedkin (*The Exorcist*), Darren Aronofsky (*Requiem for a Dream*), and Christopher Nolan (*Interstellar*). In 1975 she became the third woman to win both a Tony and an Oscar in the same year, and she later added two Emmys for guest roles on *Law & Order: SVU* (2009) and the miniseries *Political Animals* (2013).

Hollywood Reporter

• Alberto Barbera – Artistic Director of the Venice Film Festival, who introduced the award.

Deadline Hollywood

• Maggie Gyllenhaal – Director of *“Flesh Impact,”* and jury president for the 2026 edition.

Ellen Burstyn Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

• Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Sepideh Moafi – Co-stars in the short film.

Ellen Burstyn Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

• Kornél Mundruczó – Director of the upcoming drama *Place to Be*, in which Burstyn will appear with Taika Waititi.

Variety Magazine

• Age: 93 years (reported as 93 in Irish and U.S. outlets).

Hollywood Reporter

• Oscar nominations: 6 (5 for Best Actress).

Hollywood Reporter

• Major awards: 1 Oscar, 1 Emmy, 1 Tony, 1 BAFTA, 1 Golden Globe.

Hollywood Reporter

• Filmography: reported as “over 100 films” and, elsewhere, “150 films.”

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

• Festival dates: September 2-12, 2026.

Hollywood Reporter

Alberto Barbera praised Burstyn, noting she “has been a presence in American cinema for over fifty years, bringing depth and complexity to unforgettable female characters embodying the contradictions and transformations in the contemporary woman.” The festival’s official release described *“Flesh Impact”* as “dedicated to Marilyn Monroe on the centenary of her birth” and highlighted the short’s aim to showcase Burstyn’s “uncommon talent as a performer.”

Ellen Burstyn Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

• “Wow! I not only get to travel to one of my top most favorite cities in the whole world, I get to return home carrying a Golden Lion in my arms! The Lifetime Achievement Award from the Venice Film Festival! I feel so honored— so happy — so filled with gratitude! Wow indeed!” — Ellen Burstyn, statement.

Variety Magazine

• “Statement from Alberto Barbera With regard to the award to Ellen Burstyn, Festival’s Artistic Director Alberto Barbera stated: “An actress of rare intensity and truth, Ellen Burstyn has been a presence in American cinema for over fifty years, bringing depth and complexity to unforgettable female characters embodying the contradictions and transformations in the contemporary woman.” — Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director.

Ellen Burstyn Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

• “Dedicated to Marilyn Monroe on the centenary of her birth, the film features yet another extraordinary performance by the actress, showcasing her uncommon talent as a performer.” — Venice Film Festival statement.

Ellen Burstyn Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

• “Dedicated to Marilyn Monroe on the centenary of her birth, the film features yet another extraordinary performance by the actress, showcasing her uncommon talent as a performer. The film’s cast also includes Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, and Sepideh Moafi. Johnson portrays Monroe at the height of her fame, while Burstyn stars as a version of Marilyn the world never got the chance to see. Flesh Impact takes its title from a phrase once used to describe Marilyn Monroe’s aura – that she looked so real and luminous on camera that viewers felt they could touch her through the screen.” — Festival description.

Deadline Hollywood

Sources differ on Burstyn’s exact filmography size, citing both “over 100 films” and “150 films.” Age is consistently reported as 93, though one outlet described her as “the 93-year-old” while another used “93-year-old” without a hyphen. No dissenting commentary or criticism of the award has been documented.

RTE (Radio Television of Ireland)

Following the Venice honor, Burstyn will appear in Kornél Mundruczó’s drama *Place to Be*, starring alongside Taika Waititi. The short film *“Flesh Impact”* will debut at the festival, offering a reinterpretation of Marilyn Monroe that complements Burstyn’s celebrated legacy.

Variety Magazine