The iconic 91 year old American actress Ellen Burstyn to be Honoured with the Liberatum Pioneer Award for Contribution to Cinema at the Liberatum Women in Creativity Gala during the Venice Film Festival 2024
On 4th September 2024, the global cultural diplomacy organisation Liberatum will host a special ‘Women in Creativity’ gala to celebrate the art of filmmaking and storytelling by women at the Venice Film Festival. As part of the Liberatum Women in Creativity series established more than a decade ago, the organisation will champion artists, filmmakers and actresses in Venice who strive to tell bold stories, against all odds, that are rooted in giving a powerful insight into a woman’s point of view.
At the Women in Creativity gala celebration and official dinner, the Liberatum Pioneer Award will be presented to the acclaimed American actress and Hollywood trailblazer Ellen Burstyn for her outstanding contribution in advancing society forward through art. It is equally in celebration of her momentous 70 year career in cinema as a masterful artist known for her pioneering work and portrayals of complex women in dramas, and her place at the forefront of women’s liberation in Hollywood.
A doyenne of cinema, Ellen Burstyn, 91, is the recipient of numerous accolades and is one of the few performers to achieve the ‘Triple Crown of Acting’, winning an Academy Award, a Tony Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Today Ms Burstyn is co-president of the Actors Studio in the United States alongside Al Pacino and Alec Baldwin. A revered and respected actress and advocate for women in cinema, Ms Burstyn has collaborated with some of the most original voices in filmmaking of our time, such as William Friedkin, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan and Darren Aronofsky, to bring to audiences remarkable stories of unforgettable female characters.
It is the mark of a truly extraordinary artist when they give so selflessly to the betterment of society and use their voice purposefully for the rights of others who do not enjoy the same privileges. Ms Burstyn is one such admirable actress who has compassionately played the role of a committed philanthropist and activist throughout her entire life. Her most recent gift to the new generation of creatives was the establishment of a scholarship fund for young actors at Pace University.
This spectacular Venice cultural celebration will take place at The Blue Pavilion, the alluring new extension of Palazzina Grassi, a renowned luxury design boutique hotel on the Grand Canal, with the support of Meregalli Group, a top player in the distribution of exclusive wines. The special evening will convene eminent cultural minds and creative figures highlighting the contribution of women creators and filmmakers.
As part of the Liberatum programme, Ms Burstyn will take part in a ‘Women in Creativity’ conversation event about her seven-decade career, followed by a gala dinner in the sumptuous surroundings of The Blue Pavilion, which will be attended by esteemed figures from the worlds of culture and cinema.
Liberatum is a passionate supporter and promoter of women’s rights. Last year, the Liberatum Pioneer Award was presented in Salvador, Brazil to the American actress Angela Bassett and the Brazilian anthropologist and activist Ivete Sacramento.
Championing women in leadership and women’s freedom to express themselves is paramount to its existence. Since its inception in 2001, Liberatum has built its foundations through supporting women’s causes. One of its earliest projects was the creation of the first ever Women’s Rights Conference in Papua New Guinea in 2003, more than twenty years ago.
The Liberatum ‘Women in Creativity’ gala is co-hosted by patron of the arts, Dr Aaron Roni Neumark. As the trustee and custodian of the extraordinary Neumark Family Trust & Collection, he oversees an intergenerational family art and Judaica collection, founded in 19th-century Prussian-Germany by his ancestors.
The collection contains over 5000 incredible historical items in a great variety of media – oil paintings, drawings, rare books, engravings, etchings, illustrated and illuminated scrolls and manuscripts, as well as other visual works printed on porcelain, parchment, silk, and paper, dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries, representing 500 years of art, culture, and legacy.
One of the rarest treasures in The Neumark Family Collection is the first edition and a sole copy of the Daniel Bomberg ‘Biblia Hebraica’, a complete Hebrew Bible, printed entirely on parchment during the years 1517-1518, in Venice. This thick volume is the scarcest of the Bomberg Bibles, and celebrated as one of the most beautiful Bibles published in the sixteenth century. Daniel Bomberg, the celebrated printer of Hebrew books, was renowned for having established the earliest Hebrew press in Venice.
Dr Neumark will present this extraordinary Bible in Venice, where it will be on display at the Liberatum gala.
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