Hollywood star Al Pacino receives special honour at film festival, as he promotes new film "Wilde Salome".

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REUTERS / EUROVISION / ARCHLIGHT FILMS - Fans going wild for Al Pacino in Venice.

The Hollywood veteran was in town to promote his latest feature film "Wilde Salome", as well as to receive a special honour at the film festival on Sunday.

After working the crowds and smiling for the cameras outside the theatre, inside the actor-turned-director was called on to the stage to be presented with the Jaeger Le Coultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award in recognition of his work in film.

In a career that spans more than four decades Pacino has starred in over 40 movies and won an Academy Award for his role as a blind man in "Scent of a Woman".

During his acceptance speech, Pacino, who was born to Sicilian parents, briefly reminded the audience of his Italian roots.

Before reverting back to English.

Al Pacino, actor and director, saying

"What am I doing standing here, speaking in English? I'm an Italian for God's sake! Why am I speaking in English? I wish I knew how to speak in Italian. Because it's inside me, you know. I am so honoured to get this award and it's a film-maker's award, is it not? Maverick film-maker. Well, I'd like to think I am. Thank you for that. I am very flattered by that, it would be wonderful if I was. I have fallen in love with movies for the last 25 years. Before that I just acted in them which was great and they served me so tremendously all my life and made this possible, made this movie possible. So I have to thank all those movies I made and I thank you for coming to them and liking them and it's made it possible for me to go on."

The award ceremony was followed by the world premiere of Pacino's third feature-length directorial picture.

"Wild Salome" is a film, part documentary about Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde's play "Salome" starring Jessica Chastain, part an exploration of the author and part film version of Salome itself.

Kathi Urban, Reuters.