Unperturbed by the criticism, Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix have had the last laugh. Much to everyone's surprise,' Joker' has won the Golden Lion Prize for the best film at the prestigious Venice Film Festival.

'Joker' by Todd Philips has triumphed over heavyweights such as James Gray's 'Ad Astra', Roy Anderson' 'About Endlessness', Noah Baumbach's 'Marriage Story', and Steven Soderbergh's 'The Laundromat'. During his acceptance speech, Phillips thanked "Warner Bros. and DC for stepping out of their comfort zone and taking such a bold swing on me and this movie," Phillips also thanked Phoenix, who joined him on stage.

#BiennaleCinema2019 #Venezia76 pic.twitter.com/f3HVbQlzy3

— Biennale di Venezia (@la_Biennale) September 7, 2019

Philips was all praise for his cast and crew, but singled out Phoenix for this extraordinary performance "There is no movie without Joaquin Phoenix. Joaquin is the fiercest and brightest and most open-minded lion I know. Thank you for trusting me with your insane talent," said Phillips.

Directed by Todd Philips, 'Joker' is an original standalone origin story of the iconic villain not seen before on the big screen, it's a gritty character study of Arthur Fleck, a man disregarded by society, and a broader cautionary tale.

The top honor at Venice could earn major clout for the movie, as the previous Venice winners include 'Roma' and 'The Shape of Water.' 'Joker' is coming to put a smile on your face on October 4, 2019.

The full list of winners is below -

Venice 76 Awards

Golden Lion: Joker, directed by Todd Phillips
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: An Officer and a Spy, directed by Roman Polanski
Silver Lion Best Director: Roy Andersson, About Endlessness
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Ariane Ascaride in Gloria Mundi
Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Luca Marinelli in Martin Eden
Best Screenplay Award: No. 7 Cherry Lane, written and directed by Yonfan
Special Jury Prize: The Mafia Is No Longer What It Used to Be, directed by Franco Maresco
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Young Actor: Toby Wallace in Babyteeth, directed by Shannon Murphy

Horizons Awards

Best Film: Atlantis, directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych
Best Director: Theo Court, Blanco en Blanco
Special Jury Prize: Verdict, directed by Raymund Ribay Gutierrez
Best Actress: Marta Nieto in Madre
Best Actor: Sami Bouajila in A Son
Best Screenplay: Revenir, written by Jessica Palud, Philippe Lioret, Diasteme and directed by Jessica Palud

Lion of the Future

Lion of the Future Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut Film: You Will Die at 20, directed by Amjad Abu Alala

Venice VR

Best VR Film: The Key, directed by Celine Tricart
Best VR Experience Award: A Linha directed by Ricardo Laganaro
Best VR Story Award: Daughters of Chibok, directed by Joel Kachi Benson

Venice Classics

Best Documentary on Cinema: Babenco: Tell Me When I Die, directed by Barbara Paz
Best Restored Film: Ecstasy, directed by Gustav Machaty