Kim Novak, the iconic interpreter of masterpieces including "Vertigo", "Picnic," and " Bell, Book and Candle", will be awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, scheduled from August 27 to September 6. The artistic director Alberto Barbera proposed the decision, which was supported by the Biennale's Board of Directors. The American actress warmly welcomed the announcement, stating, "I am incredibly honored to receive this esteemed award from a festival of such reputation. Being acknowledged for the entirety of my career at this point in my life is a dream come true. I will cherish every moment I spent in Venice". Barbera emphasized the distinctive importance of Novak's artistic career as an unconventional and nonconformist diva: "Rising to the status of star practically by chance, Kim Novak was one of the most beloved figures in Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. Despite her achievement, she chose to consciously withdraw herself from the system that had elevated her, retreating shortly thereafter into a silent exile from Los Angeles' 'golden prison'. A decision against the stream that reflects her free spirit". Novak, an actress with a sophisticated charm and a melancholic gaze, was compelled by the studio to alter her first name, Marilyn Pauline, in order to avoid confusion with Marilyn Monroe, yet she fought determinedly to keep her surname. In exchange, she accepted the visual transformation that would elevate her to the status of icon: that platinum blonde look which marked an era. Independent and confrontational, she created her own production firm and actively protested gender salary disparities, going so far as to strike for equal treatment compared to her male colleagues. She worked with some of the greatest directors of classic Hollywood, including Billy Wilder (Kiss Me, Stupid), Otto Preminger (The Man with the Golden Arm), Robert Aldrich (When a Star Dies), and George Sidney. But it was Richard Quine who best showcased her talents in a series of brilliant romantic comedies. However, it is impossible to separate her image from the role that has sealed her place in film history more than any other: that of the mysterious and poignant Madeleine/Judy in Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo", a performance that has remained in collective memory as one of the most powerful on the big screen. With this award, the Venice Film Festival honors not only Kim Novak's talent, but also her consistency and artistic integrity: a star who managed to escape the system’s logic, choosing a life away from the spotlight on her Oregon ranch, where she devotes herself to painting and horses. For the occasion, the world premiere of Kim Novak’s Vertigo, a documentary by Alexandre Philippe made with the exclusive collaboration of the actress, will be presented. A journey through cinema and memory, paying tribute to an icon who was able to rewrite the rules of Hollywood celebrities.