Directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” won the Golden Lion, the top award at the Venice Film Festival, the festival announced on its website.

In the movie, Rourke plays an aging wrestler who can hardly deal with the fact that his career has come to an end, and eventually starts a romance with an aging stripper played by Marisa Tomei.

The film packed three Venice screenings on Friday and sparked up rumors that Rourke might end up winning Venice’s best actor prize, which will be announced with other major awards Saturday.

The Silver Lion for best director went to Russian director Alexei German Jr. for "Bumaznyj soldat (Paper Soldier)," a story set in the early days of the space program in the Soviet Union.

Italian Silvio Orlando was awarded the best actor prize for his role in Pupi Avati’s "Il Papa' di Giovanna," (Giovanna's Father), about an adult woman’s relationship with her father.

Ermanno Olmi, 77, won Venice’s career prize, which was awarded to him by actor-singer Adriano Celentano, who is also Olmi’s longtime friend.

Stefan Tummolini’s drama "Un Altro Pianeta" won the second Queer Lion award, the festival’s prize for the best film with a gay theme.

France's Dominique Blanc won best actress for playing a jealousy-struck woman in "L'Autre (The Other One)," directed by Patrick Mario Bernard and Pierre Trividic.

The festival will end Saturday with a gala prize ceremony hosted by Russian actress Ksenia Rappoport and a reprise screening of the film selected as the festival's best.