Julie Andrews to be presented with Lifetime Achievement Award at Venice Film Festival

Veteran actor Julie Andrews, the star of classic movies such as "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music", will be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 76th edition of Venice Film Festival.

The award will be presented to the 83-year-old actor during the festival, which will run from August 28 to September 7 this year.

"I'm so honoured to have been selected as this year's recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The Venice Film Festival has long been recognised as one of the world's most esteemed international film festivals.

"I thank the Biennale for this acknowledgement of my work and I look forward to being in that beautiful city in September for this very special occasion," Andrews said in a statement.

Recalling Andrews' work on 1960's films "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music", festival director Alberto Barbera said the actor always took on the roles "that were diverse, dramatic, provocative and imbued with scathing irony".

"This Golden Lion is the well-deserved recognition of an extraordinary career which has admirably parsed popular success with artistic ambition, without ever bowing to facile compromises," he added.

The decision was made by the Board of the Biennale di Venezia , chaired by Paolo Baratta, based on the recommendation of Barbera.