Venice Awards Bestow Golden Lion Upon Jim Jarmusch
The 82nd Venice Film Festival, one of the most prestigious in the world alongside the Cannes Film Festival, began on August 27. This year's event was marked by a significant win for American filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, who took home the Golden Lion for his film "Father Mother Sister Brother".
Jarmusch's film explores complex relationships between adult children and their parents, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling, and Vicky Krieps. During the award ceremony, Jarmusch made a statement by wearing a button that read "Enough", referring to the ongoing Gaza war.
The awards were presented by an international jury, chaired by American director Alexander Payne. Payne, known for films like "Sideways" and "Nebraska", presided over the jury that included actors Toni Servillo and Valérie Donzelli, among others.
Toni Servillo won the best actor award for his role in "La Grazia" by Paolo Sorrentino. Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand won best screenplay for "À pied d'œuvre". The Silver Lion for best director was awarded to Benny Safdie for "The Smashing Machine", a film that stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt.
The second most important prize, the Grand Jury Prize, went to "The Voice of Hind Rajab" by Kaouther Ben Hania. Ben Hania dedicated the award to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The film tells the story of the last moments in the life of the Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who died while fleeing her family from the city of Gaza in January 2024.
Several independent investigations suggest that Hind Rajab and parts of her family were killed by Israeli forces. However, the Israeli military denies carrying out the attack and states that there were no troops on site at the time.
Luna Wedler won the Marcello Mastroianni Prize for Best Young Actress for her role in "Silent Friend" by Ildikó Enyedi. Xin Zhilei won the best actress award for her role in "The Sun Rises On Us All" by Cai Shangjun.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa delivered a message at the end of the award ceremony, expressing concerns about the climate of increasing hatred between the Jewish and Palestinian populations. His message underscored the importance of using art and cinema as a platform for dialogue and understanding.
Gianfranco Rosi won the Jury's Special Prize for his Neapolitan documentary "Sotto le nuvole". With this year's awards, the 82nd Venice Film Festival concluded, leaving a lasting impact on the world of cinema and fostering conversations about important social and political issues.
