Academy award winning actress Sophia Loren, who celebrated her 76th birthday Monday,a global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association.

Sophia Loren celebrates 76th birthday with award
September 21st, 2010



London, Sep 22 – Academy award winning actress Sophia Loren, who celebrated her 76th birthday Monday, has been chosen to receive a prestigious Japanese award for her work in cinema.

Loren will receive the ‘Praemium Imperiale’ award – a global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association. It carries with it a sum of $169,000.

She will be given the award along with sculptor Rebecca Horn, artist Maurizio Pollini, architect Toyo Ito, and painter Enrico Castellani, at the ceremony in Tokyo Oct 13, reports contactmusic.com.

Loren became an international star after signing a five-picture contract with Paramount Pictures in 1958. Later, she did films like romantic comedy ‘Houseboat’, and she went on to feature in a series of major motion pictures, prodding the American Film Institute to name her as one of the top 25 screen actresses of all time.

In 1960, she won the Oscar for best actress for her role in the Italian film ‘Two Women’. She also featured in the 2009 hit ‘Nine’.