Pamela Anderson to Receive amfAR's Award of Courage at Venice Film Festival Gala
Pamela Anderson will receive amfAR's Award of Courage at the charity's annual Venice gala on Sunday, September 6, 2026, held at the Molino Stucky Venice during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, according to Deadline.
amfAR — the Foundation for AIDS Research — raises funds for HIV research and global health initiatives. The Venezia gala, a black-tie dinner now in its latest edition, is one of the organisation's most visible fundraising events on the annual film-festival circuit. Alongside Anderson, conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović will receive amfAR's Award of Inspiration the same evening Deadline.
amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford praised Anderson as "an outstanding and iconic actress" who raises awareness and champions causes, according to Deadline. The gala will be hosted by filmmaker Taika Waititi, with singer Bebe Rexha performing a special set and English pop singer-songwriter Mimi Webb opening the evening. A live auction of contemporary artworks and experiences will run through the dinner Deadline.
The honour lands during a career resurgence for Anderson. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her lead role in The Last Showgirl, Gia Coppola's drama about a seasoned Las Vegas performer, and appeared in Paramount's Naked Gun reboot. Anderson will also be on the Lido — the Venice festival's island home — with Place to Be, a film screening as part of this year's official selection, according to WWD.
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs September 2–12, 2026. Danny Boyle's film Ink is set to open the festival on September 2, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The amfAR gala takes place on the festival's closing weekend, when industry attention is at its peak and the island is packed with buyers, sellers and press.
Past amfAR Venezia honourees include Antonio Banderas, Richard Gere, Ava DuVernay, Ferzan Özpetek, Achille Boroli, Mohammed Al Turki and Julian Schnabel Deadline. The event has long paired Hollywood figures with contemporary artists, reflecting amfAR's dual roots in the entertainment and art worlds.
For Anderson, the Award of Courage adds a philanthropic dimension to a year that has already brought critical recognition and a prominent festival slot. For amfAR, the Venice gala remains a cornerstone of its fundraising calendar, drawing deep-pocketed festival-goers into a room for one night of bidding, music and honours.
