Martin Scorsese to receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Taormina Film Festival in June

Oscar-winning director, producer and screenwriter Martin Scorsese will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at Taormina Film Festival in June. Well known for his elaborate usage of slow motion and freeze frames along with voiceover narration, Scorsese has established himself as one of the major faces of New Hollywood.

Scorsese, known for his masterwork in the Hollywood film industry, will return to his roots in Sicily by also celebrating the screening of the film Taxi Driver (1976) at the festival. The screening will be held at the 8000-seat open-air ancient Greek amphitheatre—Teatro Antico di Taormina—with the backdrop of Mount Etna volcano.

“It is with immense pride and deep emotion that we welcome Martin Scorsese to the Taormina Film Festival. His presence is truly a historic event, not only for our festival, but for the entire cultural landscape of Italy”, said Tiziana Rocca, artistic director of the festival.

“With this award, we celebrate not only his unparalleled artistic legacy, but also his tireless commitment to the preservation of cinema’s memory, the promotion of the cinematic culture, and the universal power of storytelling”, Rocca added.

Scorsese last travelled to Italy in October 2024 to scout for locations for his documentary about the ancient Roman shipwreck ‘Marausa 2’. He also visited Polizzi Generosa, his paternal grandparent’s home before returning to New York.

Taxi Driver released in 1976 was nominated for the Academy Awards in four categories. His other notable works include Raging Bull (1980), The Colour of Money (1986), Goodfellas(1990) and The Age of Innocence (1993).

Further details of this year’s festival will be revealed during a press conference on May 17 in Cannes. The 21st edition of the Taormina Film Festival will start on June 10 and will go on till June 14.

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