"All the Beauty and the Bloodshed," a documentary about photographer Nan Goldin, won the festival's best film award. Cate Blanchett and Colin Farrell were crowned best actors.
"All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" is Laura Poitras' latest documentary, about photographer Nan GoldinImage: Official still
Advertisement
The Golden Lion for best film went to "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed," a documentary about acclaimed photographer Nan Goldin, and her David-vs.-Goliath campaign against the influential Sackler family for their role in the opioid epidemic. It was directed by Academy Award winner Laura Poitras, whose 2014 documentary, "Citizenfour" portrayed Edward Snowden and the NSA spying scandal.
There were 23 films competing for the top award at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, which took place from August 31 to September 10.
Advertisement
'Saint Omer' lands runner-up Silver Lion award
The Silver Lion grand jury prize went to Alice Diop, for "Saint Omer." The French filmmaker's feature debut also earned her the Lion of the Future award. Diop's previous documentary film, "We," had won the top prize of the Encounters section at the 2021 Berlinale.
Alice Diop's "Saint Omer" was acclaimed as "hypnotically absorbing" by VarietyImage: Srab Films ARTE France Cinema 2022
The Silver Lion award for best director went to Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name") for his film "Bones & All," a cannibal romance starring Timothee Chalamet and Taylor Russell. The Canadian actress also won the Marcello Mastroianni award for best new talent.
The Special Jury Prize recognized Jafar Panahi's latest work, "No Bears." The Iranian director was arrested in July and must now serve a six-year sentence that was originally handed to him in 2010. Panahi had been defying his country's authorities work ban for years, finding creative solutions to nevertheless pursue filmmaking.
The award for best screenplay went to British-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, who also directed his Venice entry, "The Banshees of Inisherin." One of the two co-stars of the black comedy-drama, Colin Farrell, won best actor, while Cate Blanchett took the best actress nod for her portrayal of an acclaimed orchestra conductor who faces a sudden downfall in Todd Field's "Tar." Accepting the award, she also thanked her co-star, German actress Nina Hoss.
Cate Blanchett's performance in "Tar" was also acclaimedImage: Florian Hoffmeister/Focus Features/Universal Pictures/dpa/picture alliance
US actress Julianne Moore leads seven-person jury
Julianne Moore served as the president of the competition's seven-person jury, which included Argentine director Mariano Cohn, Italian director and screenwriter Leonardo Di Costanzo, French director Audrey Diwan (who won the Golden Lion last year with "Happening"), Iranian actress Leila Hatami, and Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
British-Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro, who is also a member of the jury, couldn't participate in the awards ceremony due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
There weren't however any particular COVID restrictions during the event, leading the ceremony's host, actress Rocio Munoz Morales, to say at the beginning of the night that the fest "shined with normalcy."
The world's oldest film festival, Venice is renowned for selecting Academy Award-winning films; eight of the last 10 Oscars for best director went to filmmakers whose works premiered in its competition.
A record number of Netflix productions, four films, were also in the run. Among them, Noah Baumbach's "White Noise," a satire of US consumerism and academia starring Adam Driver, opened the festival. The streaming giant's productions however left empty-handed.
French actress Catherine Deneuve and US filmmaker and scriptwriter Paul Schrader (Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver," 1974), both received a Golden Lion for their lifetime achievement at the opening of the festival.
Venice Film Festival: Stars on the red carpet
Traditionally, the red carpet is the place to wow fans with extravagant attire. From Harry Styles and Timothee Chalamet to Cate Blanchett and Sadie Sink, stars strutted their sense of style.
Image: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP Photo/picture alliance
Harry Styles: Just the right collar?
Hundreds of fans melted in the sun waiting for him to arrive: Harry Styles, a member of former boy band One Direction until 2016, has become a pop phenomenon in the realms of music and fashion in recent years. He also wants to establish himself as an actor. He had his first major film role in the thriller "Don't Worry, Darling"; on the red carpet, he showcased his sense of style in a Gucci suit.
Image: Cinzia Camela/LPS via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa/picture alliance
Cate Blanchett with a floral touch
The Australian star's long black jumpsuit was simple, but the sweeping floral neckline was a true eye-catcher. Cate Blanchett graced the red carpet for the premiere of the film "Tar," in which she portrays a celebrated female conductor who falls into disgrace.
Image: Cinzia Camela/LPS via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa/picture alliance
Timothee Chalamet and his extravagant top
Timothee Chalamet came all in red to the "Bones & All" premiere. This red fashion combination has it all, too: The French-American star ("Dune," "Call Me By Your Name") wore a backless halter top with red iridescent pants, causing a big stir on the red carpet. "Bones & All" follows cannibalistic teenage lovers who travel through the US in the 1980s.
Image: Dave Bedrosian/Geisler-Fotopress/picture alliance
Often in Venice: Penelope Cruz
Penelope Cruz showed up on the red carpet in a simple black Chanel dress, printed with pink flower petals. Well, not quite "simple": the back of the dress boasts a sophisticated detail: a long, high leg slit. The Spanish Oscar winner and mother of two plays the lead role in "L'Immensita," directed by Emanuele Crialese, which premiered in Venice.
Image: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP Photo/picture alliance
The wow effect: Jodie Turner-Smith
Each of her appearances on the red carpet is a show in itself. This year, the British actress has become the fashion star of Venice. The colorful Christopher John Rogers dress with splashes of color was worn by Jodie Turner-Smith before the premiere of the film "Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths" by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Image: Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Photo/picture alliance
Dreamboat: Rege-Jean Page
The idolized star from the first "Bridgerton" season — he played the aloof Simon Basset — came to Venice for the premiere of "The Banshees of Inisherin." Rege-Jean Page will be seen in the fantasy spectacle "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" as of March 2023, along with Chris Pine and Hugh Grant.
Image: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP Photo/picture alliance
'Stranger Things' star Sadie Sink
She is known as the tough girl Max from the hit series "Stranger Things." Here, she floated down the red carpet in Venice in her tulle gown with elaborate embroidery on the top, having arrived for the premiere of the film "The Whale." In the movie, in which she stars with Brendan Fraser, she plays the traumatized daughter of a doomed man who wants to mend the relationship with her.
Image: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP Photo/picture alliance
Adam Driver on opening night
Adam Driver remained effortlessly stylish on the red carpet at the opening of the festival, even though he had previously gained weight for his role of a middle-aged dad in "White Noise." The film, which opened competition, marks the actor's second collaboration with director Noah Baumbach, following their award-winning "Marriage Story."
