(UPDATE)

Lav Diaz’s new film, “Ang Babaeng Humayo” (Woman Who Left) won the prestigious Golden Lion award in the Main Competition of the 73rd Venice International Film, a report from Variety magazine website and ABS-CBN official Twitter account said early Sunday.

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The Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro in Italain) is the highest prize given at what is considered the oldest film festival in the world.

In a report by Variety’s Nick Vivarelli, he wrote Diaz thanked the jury headed by Sam Mendez, saying “This is for my country, for the Filipino people; for our struggle and the struggle of humanity.”

Inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s short story “God Sees the Truth but Waits,” the film is about a woman imprisoned for decades for a crime she didn’t commit and is out to exact revenge. It is co-produced by Diaz’s Sine Olivia and ABS-CBN’s indie film arm, Cinema One Originals.

“Ang Babaeng Humayo” has Charo Santos Concio, ABS-CBN chief content officer, playing lead in the nearly four hour-long film shot mostly in her hometown Calapan in the island province of Mindoro.

It also stars ABS-CBN prized talent and one of the industry’s most popular heartthrobs, John Lloyd Cruz.

The film is considered Santos Concio’s return to the big screen after 17 years of absence.

The best actress award went to Emma Stone for the American musical “La La Land.” The best actor award went to Oscar Martinez for the Spanish-Argentinian film “The Distinguished Citizen”.

The Venice Film Festival is considered one of the “Big Three” film festivals, the other two being the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival.

The list of winners as reported in Variety follows.

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International Competition

GOLDEN LION

“The Woman Who Left” (Lav Diaz, Philippines)

SILVER LION BEST DIRECTOR (TIE)

“Paradise,” Andre Konchalovsky, Russia, Germany

“The Untamed,” Amat Escalante, Mexico

JURY GRAND PRIZE

“Nocturnal Animals” (Tom Ford,)

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

“The Bad Batch” (Ana Lily Amirpour, U.S.)

ACTOR

Oscar Martinez (“The Distinguished Citizen,” Argentina, Spain)

ACTRESS

Emma Stone (“La La Land,” U.S.)

MARCELLO MASTROIANNI PRIZE FOR YOUNG PERFORMER

Paula Beer (“Frantz,” France)

BEST SCREENPLAY

Noah Oppenheim (“Jackie,” U.S.)

LUIGI DE LAURENTIIS LION OF THE FUTURE

“The Last of Us,” (Ala Eddine Slim, Tunisia)

Horizons Jury

BEST FILM

“Liberami” (Federica di Giacomo, Italy)

BEST DIRECTOR

“Home” (Fien Troch, Belgium)

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

“Big Big World” (Reha Erdam, Turkey)

SPECIAL PRIZE FOR BEST ACTOR

Nino Lopes (“Sao Jorge”) by Marco Martins (Portugal)

SPECIAL PRIZE FOR BEST ACTRESS

Ruth Diaz (“The Fury of a Patient Man”) by Raul Arevalo (Spain)

BEST SCREENPLAY

“Bitter Money,” by Wang Bing (China)

BEST SHORT

“La Voz Perdida,” Marcelo Mantinessi (Paraguay)

Venice Classic Awards

Best Documentary on Cinema

“Le Councours,” (Claire Simon)

Best Restored Film

“Break-Up — L’uomo dei cinque palloni,” (Marco Ferreri, Italy)

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