Lebanese director Nadine Labaki has reached a new international milestone in her film career,
after winning the 2026 Liberatum Pioneer Award,
during a special event held in Venice, Italy, in conjunction with the Venice Film Festival.
Nadine Labaki was honored in recognition of her influential presence in the world of cinema and the arts, and for the standing she
she has established on the international stage through cinematic works that have brought humanitarian and social issues to the world’s most prominent film festivals.
Labaki celebrated the award on her official Instagram account, where she posted a series of photos and clips from the evening,
showcasing the atmosphere of the ceremony and the moments surrounding her acceptance of the award. The event also featured a special surprise prepared for her by the organizers, which added a unique touch to the celebration.
Nadine Labaki shared the evening with a number of well-known figures from the worlds of art and culture,
including Spanish actress Rosie de Palma and Italian writer and screenwriter Ilaria Bernardini.
This honor adds to a series of significant milestones in Nadine Labaki’s career, during which she has
established herself as one of the most prominent Arab figures in international cinema. She first drew attention with her film “Sukkar Banat,” before going on to direct works such as “Where Do We Go Now?” and “Capernaum.”
“Capernaum,” in particular, marked one of the most significant milestones in her career, after it won the Jury Prize
at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, thereby strengthening the global presence of Lebanese cinema.
Nadine Labaki’s honor in Venice reaffirms her continued presence as an Arab cinematic voice that has made the leap to the global stage,
combining artistic sensibility with humanitarian messages and presenting a different image of Lebanese and Arab cinema to international audiences.
