The Venice Film Festival has officially kicked off with Sigourney Weaver being emotionally awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. An excited Weaver from the stage of Lido's Sala Grande: "I want to scream!" The three-time Oscar nominee thanked the festival for what she called "jet fuel for encouragement," and added, "I can't believe I'm here."
Weaver praised the festival, saying that her statuette would be sitting next to her on the plane home, and mumbled, "My husband is going to have to get used to having it in bed with me."
The tribute came during the opening ceremony of the 81st annual Venice Film Festival, which opened with the world premiere of Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."
During the tribute, Weaver was previously sent a video message from "Alien" and "Avatar" director James Cameron, who wished her "huge congratulations". He continued, "I am blessed to have known her as a friend... our working relationship of trust and respect only grew stronger with each new project."
The New Yorker becomes only the third American actress to receive the Venice Career Achievement Award, following Jane Fonda and Jamie Lee Curtis. | BGNES
