Clooney to get lifetime award at Venice film festival

US actor, director and producer George Clooney will receive a lifetime achievement award at this year's Venice film festival, organisers said on Monday.

Clooney, 65, called the award "a tremendous honour".

"It also probably means I'm old, but I'll take it," he said in a statement released by the annual festival.

This year's edition will run between September 2 and 12 and the jury will be led by US actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Clooney, who is also known for his political activism and humanitarian work, is a regular at the gathering on the Venice Lido.

Clooney's breakthrough role was in the medical drama "ER". He has since starred in dozens of films, including "Syriana" for which he won an Oscar for best supporting actor.

Venice festival director Alberto Barbera called Clooney "a complete and charismatic artist, impassioned and original".

dt/tw

© Agence France-Presse