First week at the 81st Venice Film Festival: the red carpet lights up with major premieres and international stars, offering moments of pure cinematic magic, while awaiting the arrival of Daniel Craig, Kevin Costner, and Lady Gaga
The Film Festival is nearly over. From the press rooms, docks, and red carpets, we have experienced a wealth of emotions, images, and stars.
Beetlejuice… don’t say his name
On the first evening, we immersed ourselves in the magical world of Tim Burton! Everyone was captivated by the sequel which, while remaining faithful to the style of the original, never falters in tone and did not disappoint, receiving the first standing ovation of over 10 minutes in the Sala Grande.
As brilliant as ever was Colleen Atwood, Burton’s go-to costume designer, who also influenced the red carpet with her style: Winona Ryder wore an Addams Family-style gown by Chanel Haute Couture; Catherine O’Hara, meanwhile, was wrapped in a literal “interweaving” of leather branches by Oscar de la Renta; the fantastic Jenna Ortega, the young star of the TV series Wednesday, wore a flame-red Christian Dior that seemed to pay homage to the wedding dress worn by Ryder in the first film, over 30 years ago.
With them were Michael Keaton, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, and a hilarious Justin Theroux. On the inaugural red carpet, a magnificent Sigourney Weaver also shone, honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement; the diva jokingly stated that this Golden Lion will go everywhere with her, “even in the gondola and to bed! My husband will have to get used to this new presence.”
Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, and Cate Blanchett: Divas of a bygone era
The undisputed protagonist of the second day was Angelina Jolie. She arrived on the red carpet for the film Maria by Pablo Larraín like a diva from another time, sporting a fur stole over a gown by Tamara Ralph and a rose-shaped brooch that once belonged to Callas herself.
Beyond any possible doubts regarding how the Chilean director chose to represent the “Divina,” Jolie’s performance was undoubtedly very intense, fully deserving the second standing ovation of over 10 minutes of the first week.
The Venezia da Vivere team also loved El Jockey by the Argentinian Luis Ortega, a story of gangsters and racehorses that we found imaginative, never cliché, and at times brilliant.
We were also thrilled by the TV mini-series Disclaimer, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, starring Cate Blanchett alongside Kevin Kline and Sacha Baron Cohen, available from October 11 on Apple TV. The director seems to ask how easy it is to manipulate reality and how little people are inclined to ask questions while telling this story, thus echoing one of the most recurring themes of this edition: the relationship between fake and reality in the age of artificial intelligence.
The third day of the festival belonged entirely to Nicole Kidman alongside Antonio Banderas for Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn, which received significant acclaim from our team. Repressing one’s fantasies, judging them, or stifling them can become a major issue. The protagonist’s “weakness” becomes a strength the moment she understands that her dark side must simply be accepted.
A hard-hitting weekend
The weekend opened with The Order by Justin Kurzel, beautifully performed by Jude Law, Tye Sheridan, and Nicholas Hoult. An action movie set in the 1980s based on a true story: an FBI agent investigates a terrorist group within a far-right environment, increasingly widespread in the USA. A fine return for Jude Law, who shines for his acting, leaving the “pretty boy” role to others.
The weekend closed with a fantastic pair of fixers: Brad Pitt and George Clooney entertained both on and off the screen in Wolfs by Jon Watts. The film is a highly enjoyable action comedy—fun, interesting (the plot is not predictable… but no spoilers), with a sequel already announced. On the red carpet, the two played around, danced, sat among the photographers, and gave generously of their time to the fans.
In our opinion, some films could aspire to major awards: in the Orizzonti section, we were captivated by Marco by Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño, featuring the (true) story of Enric Marco, former president of the Spanish association Amicale de Mauthausen, who became a news sensation in 2005 when it was discovered he had lied and had never been deported to a concentration camp. The character, also described in the book The Impostor by Javier Cercas, is performed superbly by the great Eduard Fernández.
We were literally spellbound by The Brutalist by Brady Corbet, starring Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce. A long (3h 35m) and complex film that nevertheless never bores, it tells the decidedly difficult and uphill life of the Hungarian refugee architect László Tóth. It is a beautiful portrait of the society of the time, shot on 70mm film and rich in images that enhance the brutalist architectural perspectives.
The coming days
Many more great films and personalities are expected in the coming days. Continue to follow us on Instagram to stay updated on the #Venezia81 Film Festival.
Article by Pietro Gallina from VeneziaCinema.com
Photos © Rossana Viola. Portrait of Adrien Brody is by © Igor Serdyukov.
