The Venice Film Festival celebrated Hollywood actress Kim Novak on Monday, bestowing a lifetime achievement award to the reluctant star and platinum blonde heroine of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”, now 92.

Novak received a standing ovation and extended applause when handed her Golden Lion award from Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, ahead of the world premiere of the documentary “Kim Novak’s Vertigo”, directed by Alexandre Philippe.

Wearing an emerald and black silk gown, the former screen siren who chose to defy the Hollywood studio system raised her arms in acknowledgement of the cheers, mouthing “thank you” to the audience.

“I’d like to thanks the gods up there in Heaven, all of them. Not one in particular. Just all of them,” said Novak.

“They have given me such a gift but they th

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