United Kingdom, Sept. 3 -- George Clooney has blasted "people who peddle in fear" in a defiant speech at Venice Film Festival.

The 65-year-old actor received the prestigious Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement during the event's opening night ceremony on Wednesday (02.09.26), and he used his platform to discuss the importance of unity, art and free speech.

He said: "We're living through a moment in time where people in charge, the people with the most money, are telling us to fear one another.

"But we know better than that, don't we? Because history does teach us a lesson. It teaches us something.

"The first people that authoritarians tried to shut down are not politicians. They're journalists who ask questions.

"They're the a...