Bigelow became a cult figure with the 1987 release of “Near Dark,” a stylish tale of modern-day vampires on the Great Plains. Her films include “Blue Steel,” “Strange Days” and “K-19: The Widowmaker.”
President of the Biennale Foundation, Paolo Baratta and the artistic director of the Venice Film Festival, Marco Mueller were also present at the award ceremony.
—Jackie Micucci