The Board of Directors of the Venice Biennale, upon recommendation of the Director Maurizio Scaparro, has awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Irene Papas, “one of Europe’s most famous artists – the motivation reads – who over her 50-year career has played important female roles in theatre and in film (many in classical tragedy), becoming, in the eyes of the world, the spokeswoman and symbol of the Mediterranean culture, the very incarnation of the power of Greek tragedy.”

The award will be conferred to Irene Papas on Friday 20th February 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the Teatro Piccolo Arsenale in Venice, during the inauguration of the 40th International Theatre Festival.