Kim Novak, the Chicago-born actor who startled audiences in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, organizers announced Monday.
The prize will be presented on the Lido on 31 August during the festival’s 27 August–6 September run. Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera hailed her as “one of the most beloved icons of an entire era” and praised her refusal to bend to the studio system’s strictures. The festival board endorsed the honor, following recent lifetime awards to Sigourney Weaver and Peter Weir.
Now 92, Novak broke through in the mid-1950s with Picnic and Pal Joey before headlining Vertigo, Bell, Book and Candle, The Man with the Golden Arm and Billy Wilder’s Kiss Me, Stupid. She later stepped away from Hollywood to focus on painting and private life, a decision long cited as evidence of her independent streak.
In a statement the actor said the Venice recognition “fills my heart with joy,” calling the festival “a dream stage for artists.” She is expected to attend the premiere of Alexandre Philippe’s documentary Kim Novak’s Vertigo, screening during the festival alongside the award ceremony.
German filmmaker Werner Herzog will receive a parallel lifetime prize, underscoring the festival’s focus on enduring cinematic voices. The competition lineup will be revealed in July, with record industry interest reported by accreditation offices. Observers predict the dual tributes will boost attendance from classic-film enthusiasts and younger genre fans alike.
Critics have highlighted Novak’s earlier battle for salary parity and her creation of an independent production outfit as proof of a career defined by self-determination. Festival staff said gala tickets are expected to sell out quickly, and an outdoor restoration screening of Vertigo is being prepared for the Lido.
