Amal Clooney Lovingly Pokes Fun at Husband George in DVF Award Acceptance Speech

Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and that one guy she’s often seen with—we think his name is George or something?—made a splash this past week in Venice, in town for Amal to receive an award at the 14th Annual DVF Awards (yes, that DVF—Diane von Furstenberg) and for George to premiere his latest directorial effort, The Boys in the Boat, at the 80th Venice International Film Festival. (Venice has long been a special spot for the couple—they married there nine years ago this month.)

At the DVF Awards on Thursday night, Amal was a knockout in a blush lace slip look from John Galliano’s fall 2000 collection for Christian Dior; at the event, she was recognized for her global work for victims of human rights abuse. And during her acceptance speech, Amal couldn’t help but poke a little fun at her (very, very famous) husband, George, who she dedicated part of her speech to: “I am here in Venice with my husband,” she said. “He is a rising star.”

Amal went on to detail that Venice is an integral part of their love story, telling the crowd assembled that “Venice is the place where almost nine years ago we were married. As we sailed through the city in the last two days, I thought how incredibly lucky I am, because somehow our incredibly different worlds collided one day, 10 years ago, in Lake Como. I just think about the millions of things that had to happen in both of our lives to bring us to that moment, and how grateful I am for that luck, my love.”

She continued “I just wanted to say, you, my love, like this city, take my breath away, and you make our lives magical. It is sometimes hard to believe you exist, so thank you for being the brightest light in my life.” The couple’s family is made complete by six-year-old twins Ella and Alexander.

Italian film and art critic Giuseppe Fantasia, who was at the DVF Awards, told People that Amal and George were “very affectionate with each other” throughout the night. And, while George took up deserved real estate in Amal’s acceptance speech, she also used the moment to share a message of hope from former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who “once said it’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness, and in this room, I see so many people who are shining their light,” Amal said. Amal also spotlighted her friend Maria Ressa, who The New York Times reports is a Filipino-American journalist who has faced backlash and accusations and was convicted of cyber libel in the Philippines in her fight against dismantling information in the press.

In a press release from the DVF Awards, Amal was chosen for the honor because she “has represented high-profile political prisoners and survivors of mass atrocities, such as the Yazidi women and girls enslaved by ISIS, civilians attacked by Sudanese militia, and government forces in Darfur and female activists imprisoned around the globe.” The release added “Her track record in securing freedom for unjustly detained journalists around the world is unmatched.”

The day after the DVF Awards, the couple departed Venice on Friday after three days there. “The smiling pair were spotted holding hands as they walked down a gangway to a waiting boat,” People reports.