Vanessa Redgrave Honored by the Venice Film Festival

The Venice Biennale, chaired by Paolo Baratta, and upon the recommendation of festival artistic director Alberto Barbera has announced that British actress Vanessa Redgrave will be honored by the Venice Film Festival with its “Golden Lion” for Lifetime Achievement.

Redgrave thanked the festival and noted that she was in Venice last year filming the upcoming adaptation of Henry James’ “The Aspern Papers.” She also recalled that many years ago she shot drama “La Vacanza,” directed by Tinto Brass, in the marshes of Veneto.

“My character spoke every word in the Venetian dialect,” Redgrave, 81, said in a statement. “I bet I am the only non-Italian actress to act an entire role in Venetian dialect!”

Barbera praised Redgrave for her “sensitive, infinitely faceted performances,” and noted that with her “natural elegance, innate seductive power, and extraordinary talent, she can nonchalantly pass from European art-house cinema to lavish Hollywood productions,” and “from the stage to TV sets, each time offering top-quality results.”