ITALY: Actor Sean Connery receives lifetime achievement award on the eve of Rome's first ever film festival

Record ID: 572927

  • Title: ITALY: Actor Sean Connery receives lifetime achievement award on the eve of Rome's first ever film festival
  • Date: 13th October 2006
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF WELL-RENOWNED CONDUCTOR RICCARDO MUTI CONDUCTING ORCHESTRA
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA9CXHUZ3BSATUDY7VW0H8K5K0Z
  • Story Text: The red carpet unrolled, the paparazzi in place - it's official - Rome is set to host its first ever film festival.
    And on Thursday (October 12), the eve of what Rome's Mayor Walter Veltroni calls a nine-day party, the festival paid tribute to veteran Scottish actor Sean Connery at the city's Teatro dell' Opera where local politicians outnumbered showbiz celebrities .
    Despite criticisms that Rome was trying to compete with the world's oldest festival in Venice, organisers were upbeat.
    "I feel like it's the first day at school," said Goffredo Bettini, president of "Festa de Cinema".
    On hand to lend her support to Connery was Hollywood actress and 'ultimate' Bond Girl - Ursula Andress.
    "Well he deserves it. He's a fabulous actor, he's a fabulous person, he's an incredible man... I think he's still one of the best-looking men there is," Andress said as she made her way into the city's opera house.
    Fans cheered when the 75-year-old actor, accompanied by his wife, finally arrived for the ceremony.
    When asked how he felt, Connery replied: "Very well thank you."
    Before receiving the special Golden Marco Aurelio Award in the packed auditorium, Edinburgh-born Connery, who rose from milkman and local model to superstardom, described the excitement of a day in Rome.
    "I had an audience with the Dalai Lama this afternoon and to receive this fantastic award from the festival in Rome which I can't believe is the first festival . I've just come from Edinburgh where we've had 60 years of it and I doubt if I'd be here in the next sixty years. However, the great treat is marvellous music and then we're going to have Italian food. And Rome, I thank you."
    Connery's trophy, created by the Bulgari designers, is a gold-plated replica of emperor Marcus Aurelius on his horse, the festival's symbol.
    Well-renowned conductor Riccardo Muti led an orchestra that paid tribute to the music of composer Nino Rota who has done the musical scoring for, among others, The Godfather.
    Connery personally chose the 14 titles showcasing his work in the Actor's Craft sidebar, which will open with Alfred Hitchcock's 'Marnie' and include just one James Bond pic, 'From Russia With Love.'
    Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman opens the festival on Friday (October 13) with the premiere of Steven Shainberg's 'Fur' - the partly fictional story of controversial American photographer Diane Arbus seen through her imaginary friendship with a neighbour, played by Robert Downey Junior.
    The 16 films in the actual competition have a distinct European, art house flavour and include no U.S. titles.
    But the contest is likely to take a back seat to a series of special events and screenings which include the presentation of Martin Scorsese's new thriller "The Departed", which has already hit cinemas in several countries.
    Other celebrities expected to hit Rome's red carpet are Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Gere, Viggo Mortensen, Monica Bellucci -- who stars in two films showing at the festival -- and Harrison Ford.
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