Actress Natalie Portman has been hailed for her philanthropy at the Venice Film Festival in Italy - she's been presented with the Movie for Humanity Award.

The Star Wars beauty, who is at the event to promote her directorial debut Eve, became the first recipient of the Kineo Italian Movie Awards accolade on Sunday.

In recognition of the 27-year-old's charity work, she also received a $50,000 cheque, which Portman donated to the Tacare Girl's Scholarship Programme of the Jane Goodall Institute, a non-profit organisation involved in education and wildlife research in Tanzania.

Accepting the award, she said: "The Jane Goodall foundation does incredible work in Tanzania, an area which is very environmentally affected. I really appreciate this award."

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street set designer Dante Ferretti was also praised at the ceremony and was presented with the Star of the Year award.