Venice, Italy - US animator John Lasseter known for family- viewing box-office hits such as Toy Story and A Bug's Life, is to be bestowed with the 2009 Venice Film Festival's Career Golden Lion award, organizers announced Monday.

Lasseter will share the award with the Walt Disney Company-owned Pixar Animation Studios the producers of Toy Story as well as other well-received animated films including Finding Nemo (2003) and Ratatouille (2007).

Lasseter will pick up the Career Golden Lion at a ceremony held during the Festival which runs from September 2 to 12.

Also attending would be some of Lasseter's "closest collaborators" from Disney-Pixar, the directors Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, organizers said in a statement.

Festival president Paolo Baratta, described the 52-year-old Lasseter as one of Hollywood's "great innovators and experimenters."

The world's oldest cinema competition - this year marks its 66th edition - the Venice Film Festival has traditionally favoured so- called art-house films, but in recent years more commercial films have also picked up awards. (dpa)