On 4 September 2024, American actor Ellen Burstyn was awarded the Liberatum Pioneer Award in her first-ever Venice Film Festival appearance. 

Ellen Burstyn, 91, was presented the award by actor and recent Vogue cover star Taylor Russell (Bones and All, Waves, National Theatre’s The Effect) – a leading example of the modern stars Burstyn’s trailblazing career paved the way for. 

Burstyn was honoured by Liberatum for her 7-decade Oscar, Tony, Emmy Award–winning career at the 2024 Liberatum Women in Creativity Gala, an ongoing series established more than a decade ago. Burstyn has left an immovable legacy, revered for bringing complex female characters to the screen and stage. Liberatum celebrated her pioneering work in cinema and her place at the forefront of women’s liberation in Hollywood. 

Burstyn’s iconic roles include The Last Picture Show (1971), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) – a film she was instrumental in choosing then-newcomer Martin Scorsese as director for, The Exorcist (1973), Requiem for a Dream (2000). Interstellar (2014), W (2008), House of Cards (2016) and Pieces of a Woman (2020). 

At the Gala, Burstyn was in conversation with Vanity Fair European Editorial Director Simone Marchetti for an intimate talk. The spectacular cultural celebration took place at The Blue Pavilion, an alluring new extension of the renowned luxury boutique hotel Palazzina Grassi on Giudecca Island. 

Liberatum has produced an exceptional cultural programme worldwide celebrating creative women, their talents, stories and artistic gifts through the Liberatum Women in Creativity series. Participants in India, Mexico, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom have included Hilary Swank, Susan Sarandon, Nicole Kidman, and Courtney Love.

The Liberatum ‘Women in Creativity’ gala is co-hosted by patron of the arts, Dr Roni Neumark, trustee and custodian of the extraordinary Neumark Family Trust & Collection which artefacts represent over 500 years of arts and culture.