Venice Film Festival honours Kim Novak

One of the last great, glamorous movie stars of Hollywood's golden era emerged from her quiet life of seclusion to collect a life-time achievement award.

Kim Novak was the No1 box off star in the late 50s and yesterday the 92-year-old travelled from her Oregon ranch, to the Venice Film Festival, to accept a life-time achievement 'Golden Lion' Award.

It came after a hard-hitting documentary about her life - Kim Novak's Vertigo - from Swiss filmmaker Alexandre O Phillipe, premiered at the event. It tells of her tough upbringing, years before becoming a model, and documents her role in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo before she turned her back on fame.

During the film Novak reveals that her mother Blanche: " tried to abort me with knitting needles and it failed. She tried to suffocate me with a pillow. I remember fighting to stay alive. I won. I stayed alive and made it through."

Her sister found the foetus of their baby brother in a jar in the cellar among their father's collection of animals and insects.

She has largely stayed out of the public eye except when presenting two awards at the Oscars in 2014. It was an experience that left her seeking refuge, once again, at home on her ranch.

The star, who chose to defy the Hollywood studio system, received a standing ovation when handed the prestigious award from Mexican director Guillermo del Torro. In acknowledgement of the cheers, Novak raised her arms mouthing "thank you" to the audience.