Walter Hill photo credit by Nicolas Aproux DOC839-lowrez

Source: Credit: Nicolas Aproux

Walter Hill

US director, writer and producer Walter Hill will receive the Glory to the Filmmaker award at the Venice International Film Festival, which runs from August 31 – September 10.

The award is dedicated to a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry.

It will be presented to Hill before the screening of his new film, Dead For A Dollar, which is playing out of competition at Venice.

Hill has made over twenty films, ranging from classic westerns to action thrillers and noir dramas. His credits include 48 Hrs. and Another 48 Hrs, Southern Comfort, Last Man Standing, Johnny Handsome, The Long Riders, Brewster’s Millions and Extreme Prejudice. He also directed the pilot of Deadwood, and co-produced Alien and was producer or executive producer on the three sequels of the film series.

A western, Dead for a Dollar stars Christoph Waltz as a bounty hunter who encounters a professional gambler and outlaw, played by Willem Dafoe, who he sent to prison years before.

Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera said: “Both inside and outside of tradition, Walter Hill constantly redraws the contours of the genres that form the horizons of his cinema.”

Hill said: “In the film world, one knows it’s a great honor to be invited for a special screening at the Venice Film Festival. With my new film Dead For A Dollar, this is the fourth time that I’ve been so fortunate, and now this award makes me yet more grateful.”

Previous recipients of the Glory to the Filmmaker Award include Ridley Scott, Abel Ferrara, Costa-Gavras and Zhang Yimou.