MikeLigalig.com

11 September 2011 Last updated at 04:30 GM


Russian director Alexander Sokurov's take on the German legend Faust has won the film a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

The story explores the corrupting nature of power as Faust sells his soul to the devil.

German-born Irish actor Michael Fassbender won the best actor for playing a sex addict in British director Steve McQueen's Shame.

The best actress award went to Hong Kong's Deanie Yip in A Simple Life.

Fassbender also starred in another Venice competition film - David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method - in which he plays psychoanalyst Carl Jung.

At a news conference following the award ceremony, Sokurov appealed for governments to continue funding the arts.

"Culture is not a luxury! It is the basis for the development of the society," he said. -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Sokurov appealed for governments to continue funding the arts