The Venice Film Festival will pay tribute to legendary actress Kim Novak with a prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, celebrating her iconic contributions to the movie industry.
At 92, Novak remains a towering figure in cinema, having captivated audiences worldwide during the late 1950s and early 1960s with unforgettable performances in classic films. Among her most acclaimed roles are Joshua Logan’s Picnic (1955), Otto Preminger’s The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), George Sidney’s Pal Joey (1957), and notably Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). In Vertigo, Novak delivered a career-defining performance, portraying dual characters that have become a benchmark in movie history.
But Novak’s legacy extends beyond her roles on screen. The Venice Festival lauds her as “a star who was emancipated; a rebel at the heart of Hollywood who illuminated the dreams of movie lovers before retiring to her ranch in Oregon to dedicate herself to painting and to her horses,” according to the festival’s official statement.
As part of the tribute, the festival will premiere the documentary biopic Kim Novak’s Vertigo, directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe. This film offers an intimate look at Novak’s life, combining rare archival footage with her own reflections. It explores her transition from a mid-century movie icon to a fiercely private artist living along Oregon’s Rogue River.
Venice Festival director Alberto Barbera highlighted Novak’s independence: “Inadvertently becoming a screen legend, Kim Novak was one of the most beloved icons of an entire era of Hollywood films, from her auspicious debut during the mid-1950s until her premature and voluntary exile from the gilded cage of Los Angeles a short while later.” He added that Novak “never refrained from criticizing the studio system, choosing her roles, who she let into her private life and even her name.”
Barbera also revealed the challenges Novak faced in Hollywood’s studio system, explaining, “Forced to renounce her given name, Marilyn Pauline—because it was associated with Monroe—she fought to conserve her last name, agreeing, in exchange, to dye her hair that shade of platinum blonde which set her apart.”
In addition to Novak’s award, Venice will honor iconic German director Werner Herzog with a lifetime achievement award this year, underscoring the festival’s commitment to recognizing trailblazers in the movie industry.
The 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival is scheduled to run from August 27 to September 6.
