Joker with the Golden Lion at Venice film festival

Joker starrer Joaquin Phoenix wins top Venice film festival award. Director of Joker Todd Phillips thanked the Warner Bros and DC for taking a bold swing on him.

Washington: Joker starrer Joaquin Phoenix won the Golden Lion Award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival from a jury headed by Argentine auteur Lucrecia Martel.

Upon receiving the award, director of Joker Todd Phillips said, "Thanks to Warner Bros and DC for stepping out of their comfort zone and taking such a bold swing on me and this movie."

Speaking about Phoenix, who joined Phillips onstage, the director said, "There is no movie without Joaquin Phoenix. Joaquin is the fiercest and brightest and most open-minded lion I know. Thank you for trusting me with your insane talent."

Meanwhile, controversial veteran director Roman Polanski bagged the runner-up Grand Jury Prize for his film An Officer and a Spy.

Among the top winners, Roy Andersson won the Silver Lion for best directing for About Endlessness. He took home the Golden Lion previously in 2014 for A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence.

Luca Marinelli won the Volpi Cup for best actor for his role in Martin Eden and Ariane Ascaride won the Volpi Cup for best actress award for Gloria Mundi.

Earlier this month, Joker received an eight-minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere.

The upcoming flick is a part of the DC Comics universe but will serve as an independent origin story and will not feature any appearances by Batman and other caped crusaders.

After Venice, Joker will head to Toronto for another festival bow. Apart from Phoenix, De Niro and Beetz, the film also features Bill Camp, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Douglas Hodge, Marc Maron, Josh Pais, and Shea Whigham.

The film is slated to hit the theatres on October 4.

From ANI inputs.

READ |'Joker' gets eight-minute standing ovation at Venice premiere