Golden Lion of Venice 77 to Chloé Zhao

The Golden Lion of Venice 77

Rome/Venice [ENA] The 77th Venice International Film Festival organised by La Biennale di Venezia took place at Venice Lido from 2 - 12 September 2020. The Festival officially recognised by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Association) aims at promoting international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue.

The Festival also organises retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema. La Biennale di Venezia’s Venice Film Festival has often crossed paths with the greater History of the Twentieth Century, blending into it or reflecting its events – like in a reverse mirror – necessarily leaving some trace on its apparently bright and immaculate surface. It is evident that the history of cinema, from the moment that it ceased to be just a curious sideshow to become the most florid industry of mass communication and entertainment appears intertwined with the history of the leading men and divas who were one of the major attractions for audiences around the world.

It is no coincidence that the first big stars were mostly women: the process of transforming actors into stars seems to have been closely linked to femininity and to the image of a future Eve, arising from a synthesis between the prima donna of opera fame and the representation of women offered by nineteenth-century European culture (primarily in painting, literature and poetry). Fourteen foreign films have competed with four from Italy for the Golden Lion at this year's 77th annual Venice Film Festival which kicked off on Wednesday night and run until September 12.

   Italy's movies competing in Venice International Film Festival have been Padrenostro by Claudio Noce, Miss Marx by Susanna Nicchiarelli, Notturno by Gianfranco Rosi and Le Sorelle Macaluso by Emma Dante.    The overseas contenders have been : Wife of spy by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.     And tomorrow the entire world byJulius Von Heinz Nuevo Orden by Michel Franco QUO VADIS, AIDA? by Jasmila Zbanic Sun Children by Majid Majidi Laila in Haifa by Amos Gitai Dear companions! by Andrei Konchalovsky NOMADLAND by Chloé Zhao Pieces of a woman byKornél Mundruczó Never gonna snow by Malgorzata Szumowska The world to come by Mona Fastvold LOVERS by Nicole Garcia The disciple by Chaitanya Tamhane In between Dying by Hilal Baydarov .

This year's jury has been chaired by Cate Blanchett.     Italian actress Anna Foglietta has been the host.    Lacci, directed by Daniele Luchetti (La nostra vita, Mio fratello è figlio unico, Il portaborse) starring Alba Rohrwacher, Luigi Lo Cascio, Laura Morante, Silvio Orlando, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Adriano Giannini, and Linda Caridi has been the Opening Film, Out of Competition, of the 77th Venice International Film Festival .     "Recently, we have all feared that cinema might become extinct," said Daniele Luchetti. "Yet during the quarantine it gave us comfort, like a light gleaming in a cavern. Today we have understood something else: that films, television series, novels, are indispensable in our lives. Long live festivals, then,

which allow us to come together to celebrate the true meaning of our work. If anyone thought it served no purpose, they now know it is important to everyone. With Lacci I am honoured to open the dances of the first great festival in unexpected times". Naples, early 1980s: the marriage between Aldo and Vanda begins to break down when Aldo falls in love with young Lidia. Thirty years later, Aldo and Vanda are still married. A mystery about feelings, a story of loyalty and faithlessness, of resentment and shame. Betrayal, pain, a secret box, a home laid waste, a cat, the voice of people in love and that of people out of love.    

   From the novel by Domenico Starnone, one of the New York Times' 100 notable books of 2017, this is the new film by Daniele Luchetti.   Produced by IBC Movie with Rai Cinema, Lacci was written by Domenico Starnone, Francesco Piccolo and Daniele Luchetti.     Joining Blachett on the jury have been Austrian director Veronika Franz ("Goodnight Mommy," "The Lodge"), British filmmaker Joanna Hogg ("The Souvenir"), Italian writer and novelist Nicola Lagioia, German filmmaker Christian Petzold ("Phoenix," "Barbara"), US actor Matt Dillon ("Rumble Fish", "Crash"), and French actress Ludivine Sagnier ("Swimming Pool," "8 Women").     Together, they awarded the festival's top prizes, including the Golden Lion.

Last but not least, it has been a woman who got the Golden Lion of Venice 77: Chloé Zhao with "Nomandland", with Frances McDormand. The Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino was awarded the Coppa Volpi ( Volpi Cup).