Sharif's 50-year film career is still going strong

Omar Sharif is to receive the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion award for his movie achievements.

Egyptian-born Sharif, 71, has starred in films such as Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia during a 50-year career.

The announcement comes days after Sharif was given a one-month suspended prison sentence for headbutting a police officer at a Paris casino.

Sharif, who lives in Paris, assaulted the officer after losing the equivalent of about �22,000 after gambling over the night on 5 July.

He said he had not been able to remember the incident. He was fined �1,100 by the court.

Sharif's latest film, Mr Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Quran, will be shown at the 60th Venice festival which runs from 27 August to 6 September.

He plays an old Muslim man who adopts a Jewish boy.

Another lifetime achievement award will be presented to Italian-born producer Dino De Laurentiis, producer of films such as Year of the Dragon, Manhunter and Body of Evidence.