South Korean director Kim Ki-duk, who won the top award at the Venice Film Festival in 2012 but later faced allegations at home of hitting an actress and trying to force her into shooting off-script sexual scenes while making another movie, has died in Latvia. He was 59.

The Venice Film Festival is an early stop for many stars and filmmakers on the path to the Academy Awards.

Venice, Sept 8 (Xinhua/UNB) -- The film "Joker" by American director Todd Phillip was awarded on Saturday the Golden Lion at the 76th Venice International Film Festival.