The 64th Venice Film Festival comes to an end
The curtain has fallen on the “Biennale“.
Saturday evening, the 64th Venice Film Festival concluded with a parade of stars on the red carpet and the usual criticisms, issues, outfits and gossip.
Had the predictions come true?
After a nine-hour debate in the “council hall”, the jury appeared at the Cinema Palace with a highly criticised verdict.
It was an Asian victory… as expected. After his triumph in 2005 with “Brokeback Mountain”, Taiwanese director Ang Lee won the Golden Lion for direction with “Lust, Caution“.
This time, Brian De Palma had to settle for second place as “Redacted“, a war story set in Iraq, nly received a Silver Lion.
Brad Pitt won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor (no surprise there!) as the hero bandit Jesse James.
He arrived in Venice looking like a true bad guy in an ivory suit and ‘anti-paparazzi’ sunglasses. A not well-appreciated gesture. erhaps he had taken on his role just a bit too much.
Anyway, hats off to him for having the courage to produce the controversial “The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford“. The film, directed by Andrew Dominik, is about a wanted bandit who turns out to be a hero.
Cate Blanchett, the androgynous anti-diva who did not appear for the presentation of “I’m not there“, was awarded the Volpi Cup in abstentia for her portrayal of a young Bob Dylan. The prize was accepted by Heath Ledger, another star of the film, dressed up as a gondolier in knee-length shorts and red and white striped socks. His outfit was perhaps just a bit too cool!
A few rising stars were also in the limelight.
The eclectic Ambra Angiolini, a favourite of Ozpetek, who had the honour of hosting the opening ceremony and a very excited Hafsia Herzi who won the Marcello Mastroianni prize for Best New Actress for her role in La Graine et le Mulet by Abdellatif Kechiche, for which the director won the Special Jury Prize.
There was very little enthusiasm for the three Italian films in the festival: “Nessuna qualità agli eroi” by Paolo Franchi, “Dolce e l’Amaro” by Andrea Porporati and “L’ora di punta” by Vincenzo Marra.
Perhaps Quentin Tarantino, the king of pulp, was right when he said that contemporary Italian cinema was “depressing“?
He did, however, retract that statement after a controversy with Stefania Sandrelli, who had hosted the closing ceremony and staunchly defended Italian filmmaking.
So long to Venice!
Technorati Tags: Venice, Cinema, Biennale, Brad Pitt, Ang Lee, Cate Blanchett
