Russian film director Andrei Konchalovsky has been awarded the Silver Lion -- the Leone d'Argento -- award for best direction at the 73rd Venice Film Festival.
An international panel led by British director Sam Mendes said on September 10 that Konchalovsky won the award for his film Paradise.
Paradise reveals entangled human life stories during World War II.
Konchalovsky's wife, actress Yulia Vysotskaya, played the leading role in the film of a Russian emigre named Olga who is sent to a Nazi concentration camp after giving shelter to Jewish children in Paris.
It was the second Silver Lion from the Venice festival for Konchalovsky. He received the award in 2014 for his film The Postman's White Nights.
The top prize at the Venice festival, the Golden Lion for best film, went to The Woman Who Left by director Lav Diaz.
