ROME: âL’Evenementâ by French film-maker Audrey Diwan won the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 78th Venice Film Festival, which closed in the Italian lagoon city on Saturday evening.
Succeeding among the 21 films overall selected in the main competition this year, âL’Evenementâ (Happening) brings on screen the painful story of a bright university French student, who undergoes a clandestine abortion in 1963âs France.
The drama was adapted by a novel with the same title by Annie Ernaux.
According to Xinhua, after receiving the award, Diwan mentioned the sensitivity of her movieâs subject, and thanked the jury for having given it so much attention.
The Silver Lion for Grand Jury Prize went to Italian filmmaker and Oscar-winner Paolo Sorrentinoâs âThe Hand of Godâ.
Starring in the same film as a teenager struggling against the backdrop of Naples in the 1980s, actor, Filippo Scotti earned the Marcello Mastroianni Award as best young protagonist.
The international jury led by South Korean Academy Award and Palm dâOr winner Bong Joon Ho (âParasiteâ) awarded another Silver Lion for Best Director to veteran Jane Campion for her western âThe Power of the Dogâ.
Penélope Cruz — starring in the much-awaited movie âParallel Mothersâ by Spanish renowned film-maker Pedro Almodóvar, won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress — while John Arcilla won the same prize for Best Actor in the film âOn the Job: The Missing 8â by Filipino director Erik Matti.
Another Veniceâs major prize — the Award for Best Screenplay — went to Maggie Gyllenhaal for the film âThe Lost Daughterâ, her directorial debut.
Finally, the Special Jury Prize was honoured to âIl Bucoâ (The Hole), an Italy-France-German production directed by Michelangelo Frammartino.
This 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival took place amid tight anti-pandemic rules, but with audience admitted to screenings (every hall operating at half of its capacity). Movie stars from far and wide graced the red carpet once again. –Bernama
