Runner-up honors Paolo Sorrentino’s semi-autobiographical ‘The Hand of God’
Audrey Dewan’s 1960 abortion drama L’evenment (Happening) won the Golden Lion at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, while the runner-up honor went to Paolo Sorrentino’s semi-autobiographical “The Hand of God”.
Ms Dewan’s film about a French college student who finds herself with an unwanted pregnancy was the unanimous choice of the prestigious jury that included recent Oscar winners Bong Joon Ho and Chloe Zhao.
Competition was strong this year, with well-regarded films such as Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog”, Pedro Almodovar’s “Parallel Mothers”, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter” and “The Hand of God”. Twenty-one films were vying for the award, which has become a promising early indicator of a film’s Oscar prospects.
“I did this film out of anger. I also did the film with desire. I did it with my stomach, my guts, my heart, my head,” Ms. Dewan said on September 11. “I wanted ‘Happening’ to be an experience.”
Ms. Dewan is the sixth woman to have directed a Golden Lion winning film. Others include Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Margrethe von Trotta (Marianne and Julian), Agnes Varda (Vagabond), Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) and Sofia Coppola (Somewhere).
Mr. Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God” based on a creative personal tragedy won the silver while Miss Campion won the Silver Lion for Best Director for her period epic “The Power of Her Dog”. This is the second time she has won the runner-up award in Venice. Her first film was in the 1990 Janet Frame biopic ‘An Angel at My Table’.
“It is amazing to receive the award from you guys,” said Ms. Campion, speaking to the jury next to her. “You set the bar very, very high for me in the cinema, Bong, Chloe.”
Penelope Cruz won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance as a new mother in Almodovar’s Parallel Mothers. He thanked his director and frequent collaborator for “inspiring me every day with my search for truth”.
“You’ve made magic again and I couldn’t be more grateful or proud to be a part of it,” Ms. Cruz continued. “I like you very much.”
Ms. Gyllenhaal won the Best Screenplay award for her adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s 2008 novel The Lost Daughter, her first as a director, both a screenplay and a film.
Ms. Gyllenhaal said, “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be here.” “I was married in Italy, in Puglia. I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter in Italy. And in fact my life as a director and writer and my film was born here in this theatre.”
Ms Gyllenhaal said her film is “Italian in its bones”, even though it was shot in Greece and the English language.
“In a way as women we are born into an agreement to remain silent and Ferrante broke that agreement,” Ms Gyllenhaal said. “Watching ‘The Piano’ felt the same way when I was in high school.”
John Arcilla was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for ‘On the Job: The Missing 8’.
The festival has re-established itself as the premier launch pad for awardees over the past decade. Ms. Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ won awards last year and won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor at the Oscars. In addition to Ms. Zhao and Mr. Bong, who served as president, the jury also included actors Sarah Gadon and Cynthia Erivo and directors Saverio Costanzo (My Brilliant Friend) and Alexander Nanau (Collective).
Ms Zhao’s move was the second time in four years that the Golden Lion winner has won Best Picture. Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Shape of Water’ shared a similar path. The 2019 winner of Venice, “Joker” only received 10 Oscars, including one for Best Picture.
Not winning the top prize in Venice doesn’t end before the Oscar campaign begins, though. Many eventual winners only premiered at the festival, and always before winning Best Picture (Birdman and Spotlight) or Best Director (Damien Chazelle for “La La Land”, Alfonso Cuarón for “Gravity” and “Roma”, Mr. Not even in. Del Toro for “The Shape of Water” and Alejandro G. Iárritu for “Birdman”).
Some of this year’s biggest premieres were not part of the competition, including Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel”, Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” and Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho”.
In the Horizons segment, which highlights emerging filmmakers, Laurinas Barisa’s “Pilgrims” won Best Picture. The actor award went to Piseth Chun of “White Building” and actress Laure Calamy for “A Plain Temps”, which also won the Best Director award for Eric Gravell.
The awards ceremony kicks off the first major film festival of the autumn season, which has so far appeared to be a resounding success, despite the Delta version. The COVID-19 safety protocols were strict and the films were strong.
But Venice successfully brought the glamor back to a red carpet that was less crowded than usual, but viral moments ranged from a teasingly gentle hug between co-stars Oscar Isaacs and Jessica Chastain to a red carpet debut. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck – although maybe it should be restarted at first as the two rekindled a romance that ended 18 years ago.
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