The Golden Lion

The Golden Lion (Italian: Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is widely regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguished prizes. In 1970, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was introduced, an honorary prize for people who have made an important contribution to cinema. The prize was introduced in 1949 as the Golden Lion of Saint Mark, which was one of the best known symbols of the ancient Republic of Venice. In 1954, the prize was permanently named the Golden Lion.