This year at the 79th Venice Film Festival, renowned French actress Catherine Deneuve is going to be awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, one of the most prestigious awards of the festival.

Deneuve says that this award is a “joy to receive” and that it is an “honor to be chosen” by the festival that has supported so many films that feature her talent.

The multitalented singer, actress, model, and producer is not kidding when she notes her long history at the Venice Film Festival. In 1967 she starred as the titular character in Luis Buñuel’s Golden Lion-winning picture Belle Du Jour. Years later, in 1998, Deneuve’s performance in Nicole Garcia’s Place Vendôme won Best Actress at Venice.

The Film Festival’s chief Alberto Barbera notes how impressive Deneuve’s career and impact is. Her array of films are littered with international successes as well as an Oscar nomination for Indochine in 1992, a feat that is almost unheard of for a non-American actor.

Barbera describes her as “the very symbol of French cinema,” and that through her dedication she is taking her place as “one of the greatest actresses in film history.”