Refresh for latest…: Following a successful two weeks that marked the first major international industry event in the pandemic era, the Venice Film Festival draws to a close tonight as Cate Blanchett’s jury hands out its awards. Despite a lack of major Hollywood fare, there was no shortage of well-received movies — one film from a studio, Searchlight’s Nomadland, energized the proceedings just yesterday, garnering strong notices for Chloe Zhao’s direction and Frances McDormand’s lead performance.
Among the rest of the competition, there was a lot of praise for Mona Fastvold’s The World To Come. Vanessa Kirby co-stars in that frontier drama and did double duty with Kornel Mundruczo’s Pieces Of A Woman, again receiving high marks.
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Jasmila Zbanic’s hard-hitting drama Quo Vadis, Aida; Andrei Konchalovsky’s Dear Comrades; Julia von Heinz’s And Tomorrow The Entire World; Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary Notturno; and Chaitanya Tamhane’s The Disciple were also amongst the best received titles.
There were more female filmmakers in competition this year, and should a woman scoop the Silver Lion for Best Director, it would be the first time since 2009. If a film helmed by a woman takes the Golden Lion, it would be a first since Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere in 2010.
The festival itself was roundly praised for pulling together an event against incredible odds. Sanitary protocols appear to have worked — no one has yet been reported ill — while social distancing was very well enforced. Indeed, intrepid festival goers this year may find they were in a way spoiled by the lack of crowds and the ease of being able to guarantee seats at screenings and press conferences via an online reservation system. The only movie that was a tough ticket to obtain was Gia Coppola’s Mainstream in the Horizons section which also hands out prizes tonight.
Check back below as we update the list of winners live:
Golden Lion
Nomadland
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize
Nuevo Orden; dir: Michel Franco
Silver Lion, Best Director
Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wife Of A Spy
Volpi Cup, Best Actress
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces Of A Woman
Volpe Cup Best Actor
Pierfrancesco Favino, Padrenostro
Best Screenplay
Chaitanya Tamhane, The Disciple
Special Jury Prize
Dear Comrades, dir: Andrei Konchalovsky
Marcello Mastroianni Award for for Best New Young Actor or Actress
Roohollah Zamani, Sun Children
HORIZONS
Best Film
The Wasteland; dir: Ahmad Bahrami
Best Director
Lav Diazn Genus Pan
Special Jury Prize
Listen, dir: Ana Rocha de Sousa
Best Actress
Khansa Batma, Zanka Contact
Best Actor
Yahya Mahayni, The Man Who Sold His Skin
Best Screenplay
Pietro Castellitto, I Predatori
Best Short Film
Entre Tú Y Milagros, dir: Mariana Saffon
Lion of the Future – Luigi De Laurentiis Award For A Debut Film
Listen, dir: Ana Rocha de Sousa