Darren Aronofsky may have not been too successful with “The Fountain” at the Venice Film Festival last year, but he surely made it this time with “The Wrestler.”

Mickey Rourke, portraying the main character in the film, was also considered a favorite for the best actor prize for his interpretation of an aging wrestler who can’t deal with the fact that his career has come to an end.

Rourke said he was glad that Aronofsky did not give up after “falling on his ass” a couple of years ago, with “The Fountain,” which was a flop in Venice in 2006.

“I'm glad he had the balls to come back. I don't think he wanted to come back but I told him, "You have to come back' and he did,” Rourke said.

As he announced the winning movie, German filmmaker Wim Wenders, who headed the jury for the 65th edition of the storied festival, praised Mickey Rourke’s work on the film, describing it as "a truly heartbreaking performance, in the very sense of the word."

Rourke thanked the jury and congratulated Aronofsky for making “The Wrestler.” The actor said that “The Fountain’s” director could make other kinds of movies if he wanted to, and “make a lot of money in the United States,” but he respected him deeply because he chose to make movies “that are not that expensive,” but “have a lot of integrity.”

The Silver Lion for best director went to Russia’s Alexsey German Jr. for “Paper Soldier,” a movie that focused on the Soviet space program in the 1960s.

Italian Silvio Orlando was awarded the best actor prize for his role in Pupi Avati’s “Il Papa’ di Giovanna,” where he plays a father who has a difficult relationship with his adult daughter.

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