Society08.09.2026

Pamela Anderson Receives amfAR Award of Courage at the 83rd Venice Film Festival

The actress was honored with the amfAR Award of Courage. During the ceremony, held on September 6 as part of the events on the Lido, she spoke about her battle with hepatitis C.

Pamela Anderson received the amfAR Award of Courage from filmmaker Taika Waititi at the 83rd Venice Film Festival. Performance artist Marina Abramović was also honored at the charity gala on September 6. The ceremony brought together prominent figures from the international film and art worlds.

During her speech, the 59-year-old actress spoke about her battle with hepatitis C. She was diagnosed with the disease in 2002, and doctors initially gave her a pessimistic prognosis. Anderson officially announced that she had fully recovered from the virus in 2015 after completing treatment.

According to Anderson, the experience prompted her to rethink her approach to filmmaking. In recent years, she has moved away from her image as a sex symbol in favor of dramatic and independent roles. In 2025, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the drama The Last Showgirl and also appeared in the comedy The Naked Gun.

At the Venice Film Festival, the actress also presented Place to Be, a film directed by Kornél Mundruczó. The film was included in the Venice Open out-of-competition program. Anderson stars alongside Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi, and Murray Bartlett.

Alongside the festival’s social events, industry gatherings are also taking place. On September 7, Venice Production Bridge hosted a pitching session featuring ten projects from the international laboratory of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem. The 83rd Venice Film Festival will run through September 12, 2026.