PERSOL AWARDS LIEV SCHREIBER WITH VISIONARY TALENT AWARD IN VENICE

Italian eyewear brand Persol presented the Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award 2016 to American actor and director Liev Schreiber at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival on Friday, September 2.

Schreiber was awarded this past Friday at the Palazzo del Cinema in Lido di Venezi, Italy. The artist is the star of the Out of Competition film, The Bleeder, directed by Philippe Falardeau. It is a biographical film that tells the story of American boxer Chuck Wepner, the inspiration for the character of Rocky Balboa in the famous Rocky film series. Notable actress, Naomi Watts, Schreiber’s wife, is also cast in the film.

Persol continues its twelve-year-long collaboration with the Venice International Film Festival. This year, the Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award 2016 celebrates an eclectic, versatile artist, whose talent ranges from theater to film, direction and a hugely successful television series.

“We are very proud to continue our collaboration with the Venice International Film Festival – a collaboration that is now in its twelfth consecutive year,” said Chiara Occulti, SVP of brand and communication management at Luxottica Group, Persol’s parent company. “The 2016 Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award celebrates Liev Schreiber, a talent who perfectly reflects Persol’s personality. We are proud that an artist like Schreiber has accepted this award and associated his talent with that of Persol.”

“I have boundless admiration for Liev Schreiber, who is able to give his best in leading roles in independent films and as a supporting actor in many mainstream Hollywood films,” added Alberto Barbera, director of the Venice International Film Festival. “His early training as a Shakespearean actor continues to fuel unpredictable, complex performances that are imbued with profound humanity. Every time that he appears in a scene, one gets the feeling that the film has raised its tone, making his every appearance unique and memorable. Sensitivity, intuition and intelligence are the fundamental components of his performances and the same qualities are present in the only film that he has directed, Everything is Illuminated, which I hope will not remain the only evidence of a remarkable talent.”