The 63rd annual Venice Film Festival wound up Saturday (Sep 9th) evening with a red carpet awards show as the Chinese film "Still Life" by Jia Zhangke captured the Golden Lion.

Director Jia Zhangke of China shows the Golden Lion, the Festival's top award, received for his movie Sanxia Haoren (Still Life), at the Venice film festival. (Xinhua Photo)

The 63rd annual Venice Film Festival wound up Saturday evening with a red carpet awards show as the Chinese film "Still Life" by Jia Zhangke captured the Golden Lion.

British actress Helen Mirren received the Coppa Volpi award for best actress for her movie The Queen, which was directed by Stephen Frears. (Xinhua Photo)

The 63rd annual Venice Film Festival wound up Saturday evening with a red carpet awards show as the Chinese film "Still Life" by Jia Zhangke captured the Golden Lion.

French actress Catherine Deneuve, who headed the jury, said: "We were very touched and we were very moved."

She praised "the beauty of the cinematography and the quality of the story, without getting political."

"Still Life"(Sanxia Haoren) was shot in the old village of Fengjie, which has been destroyed by the building of China's Three Gorges Dam. It recounts the story of people who come back to Fengjie during the upheaval.

Leading actress Zhao Tao also had been nominated for Best Actress competition session, but unfortunately, she lost to British actress Helen Mirren, who received the Coppa Volpi award for best actress for her movie "The Queen," which was directed by Stephen Frears.

The Queen also picked up best screenplay for writer Peter Morgan.

The best actor prize went to Ben Affleck for his lead in "Hollywoodland," about the life of tormented actor George Reeves, who played Superman in the 1950s television series and apparently committed suicide under mysterious circumstances in 1959. Diane Lane and Adrien Brody also starred in the drama directed by Allen Coulter.

The 34-year-old actor Affleck, who launched his career in 1997's "Good Will Hunting," was unable to attend the ceremony and sent a video message to the festival instead.

French filmmaker Alain Resnais won best director for the critically acclaimed "Private Fears in Public Places," which is about people searching for happiness in Paris.

The special jury prize went to "Daratt" about the horrors of war.

Editor: Donald