119 - XIX Venice International Film Festival, VENICE 24 August - 7 September 1958 Silver Lion (of Honour) awarded to the Honourable Egidio Ariosto.

XIX Venice International Film Festival, VENICE 24 August - 7 September 1958 Silver Lion (of Honour) awarded to the Honourable Egidio Ariosto. Lion of St. Mark, historical symbol of the Event, finely chiseled, on original marble base with engraved plaque. Complete with its original case. Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with responsibility for Entertainment, Sport and Tourism, the Hon. Egidio Ariosto will award the Golden Lion to Japanese director Hiroshi Inagaki, winner of the Festival with his film “The Rickshaw Man”. The heirloom up for auction was donated by the Biennale to the Undersecretary as a tribute to his dedication to the event's success. The first of the prestigious film festivals, the Venice Film Festival was founded in 1932 as part of the 18th Venice Art Biennale by President G. Volpi di Misurata. Its aim was to present works demonstrating the value of cinema as a means of expression in the artistic, cultural, educational, and scientific fields. The international grand prize for best film was established in 1947, but only two years later, in 1949, the iconic Golden Lion of Saint Mark was adopted, gradually joined by other awards.