Honors and celebrations at the 80th Venice Film Festival

 

Venice - Mohamad Hashem Abdelsalam

 

In keeping with the traditions followed in film festivals, and within the activities of the 80th session (August 30 - September 9, 2023) of the “Venice International Film Festival” (Mostra), the festival’s artistic management decided to award the Italian director Liliana Cavani (90 years old) and the Chinese actor Tony Leung, honorary “Golden Lion” award , in recognition of artistic life in the field of cinema.

Artistic director Alberto Barbera had emphasized that Liliana Cavani “is one of the most prominent figures in new Italian cinema since the sixties, and her work has spanned more than sixty years.” He praised the diversity of her achievements between cinema, television, theater and opera, with the same renewed spirit and intellectual inspiration that gave her works international fame.” Barbera said, “The events of most of Cavani’s films take place in historical contexts characterized by the existential desire for change, the search for answers to important and complex questions, and problems that reflect the complex and complex conflict between the individual and society.” Her outlook, against closed dogmas, is neutral and courageous in the way she confronts even the most challenging taboos.”

Liliana Cavani participated in the Venice Film Festival more than once, and the film “Philippe Patin: The Trial of Vichy” won the “Golden Lion of San Marco” for best documentary in 1965. Liliana also completed many important documentaries, such as “The Story of the Third Reich” (1962). , “The Age of Stalin” (1963), “The House in Italy” (1964). Within this framework, the festival will present her new feature, “The Temporal System.” The film is based on the book of the same name by Italian physicist Carlo Rovelli. Starring Alessandro Gassman and Claudia Gerini. The events take place in a villa on the sea, where a group of friends gather annually to celebrate someone’s birthday. Once they meet, they discover that the end of the world is imminent, that they only have a few hours left, and their destinies will be changed forever.

The festival will also award an honorary “Golden Lion” award in honor of the career of Chinese actor Tony Leung (61 years old). The award is the fourth that Tony Leung has received from the Venice Film Festival. He previously won the “Best Actor” award 3 times. This is due to his starring in the following films: “City of Sadness” (1989), directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. And “Cyclo” (1995), directed by Tran Anh Hung. “Fame and Attention” (2007), directed by Ang Lee.

Artistic director Tony Leung, who won the Palme d'Or for "Best Actor" at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 for his most famous film "In the Mood for Love" by director Wong Kar-wai, described him as "one of the most attractive actors in contemporary cinema." Among the few, their exceptional career path has developed in parallel with the development of international, cross-border cinema. He is one of the most important and versatile actors of his generation. “And most of them are able to embody unforgettable characters in the most diverse genres.”

The festival also honors American director Wes Anderson by awarding him a special “Cartier Glory” award, which is presented annually to a personality who has made a special contribution to the contemporary film industry. This is before the screening of Wes Anderson's latest film, “The Great Story of Henry Sugar,” on September 1. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade, and is shown in the “Out of Competition” section. It deals with a rich man who discovers a teacher who has the ability to see without using his eyes, and uses it to cheat in gambling halls. Regarding this honor, Alberto Barbera said, “Wes Anderson is one of the few whose unique directorial style we can recognize. He takes great care in designing and implementing every detail, and composing all shots with great care.”

 

Venice - Mohamad Hashem Abdelsalam

 

In keeping with the traditions followed in film festivals, and within the activities of the 80th session (August 30 - September 9, 2023) of the “Venice International Film Festival” (Mostra), the festival’s artistic management decided to award the Italian director Liliana Cavani (90 years old) and the Chinese actor Tony Leung, honorary “Golden Lion” award , in recognition of artistic life in the field of cinema.

Artistic director Alberto Barbera had emphasized that Liliana Cavani “is one of the most prominent figures in new Italian cinema since the sixties, and her work has spanned more than sixty years.” He praised the diversity of her achievements between cinema, television, theater and opera, with the same renewed spirit and intellectual inspiration that gave her works international fame.” Barbera said, “The events of most of Cavani’s films take place in historical contexts characterized by the existential desire for change, the search for answers to important and complex questions, and problems that reflect the complex and complex conflict between the individual and society.” Her outlook, against closed dogmas, is neutral and courageous in the way she confronts even the most challenging taboos.”

Liliana Cavani participated in the Venice Film Festival more than once, and the film “Philippe Patin: The Trial of Vichy” won the “Golden Lion of San Marco” for best documentary in 1965. Liliana also completed many important documentaries, such as “The Story of the Third Reich” (1962). , “The Age of Stalin” (1963), “The House in Italy” (1964). Within this framework, the festival will present her new feature, “The Temporal System.” The film is based on the book of the same name by Italian physicist Carlo Rovelli. Starring Alessandro Gassman and Claudia Gerini. The events take place in a villa on the sea, where a group of friends gather annually to celebrate someone’s birthday. Once they meet, they discover that the end of the world is imminent, that they only have a few hours left, and their destinies will be changed forever.

The festival will also award an honorary “Golden Lion” award in honor of the career of Chinese actor Tony Leung (61 years old). The award is the fourth that Tony Leung has received from the Venice Film Festival. He previously won the “Best Actor” award 3 times. This is due to his starring in the following films: “City of Sadness” (1989), directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. And “Cyclo” (1995), directed by Tran Anh Hung. “Fame and Attention” (2007), directed by Ang Lee.

Artistic director Tony Leung, who won the Palme d'Or for "Best Actor" at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 for his most famous film "In the Mood for Love" by director Wong Kar-wai, described him as "one of the most attractive actors in contemporary cinema." Among the few, their exceptional career path has developed in parallel with the development of international, cross-border cinema. He is one of the most important and versatile actors of his generation. “And most of them are able to embody unforgettable characters in the most diverse genres.”

The festival also honors American director Wes Anderson by awarding him a special “Cartier Glory” award, which is presented annually to a personality who has made a special contribution to the contemporary film industry. This is before the screening of Wes Anderson's latest film, “The Great Story of Henry Sugar,” on September 1. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade, and is shown in the “Out of Competition” section. It deals with a rich man who discovers a teacher who has the ability to see without using his eyes, and uses it to cheat in gambling halls. Regarding this honor, Alberto Barbera said, “Wes Anderson is one of the few whose unique directorial style we can recognize. He takes great care in designing and implementing every detail, and composing all shots with great care.”

 

 

 

As part of the program celebrating the most prominent people in industry in the world, the festival will celebrate the memory of Italian icon Gina Lollobrigida, who died last January. In this context, the festival will screen, on the day before the official opening, that is, on August 29, the film “The Prodigal Wife,” starring Gina Lollobrigida, and directed by Mario Soldati. It will be preceded by the screening of the documentary film filmed by Orson Welles entitled “Portrait of Gina” (1958).

There is also a celebration of one of the icons of Italian cinema, director Ruggero De Dato, who passed away in December last year, and one of his most important films will be shown, entitled “The Last Worlds of Cannibals.” The festival will also celebrate half a century since the passing of the Italian star Anna Magnani, and will screen the famous film “Exquisite Beauty” (1953), directed by Luchino Visconti.

Last February, world cinema lost one of the greats of film directing, the Spanish Carlos Saura, and his film, “The Hunt,” which won the Berlin Film Festival award in 1965, will be shown. On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the birth of the great Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu, the festival will show a new version. , neither distorted nor censored or cropped from his film, “There Was a Father” (1942).

 

 

 

As part of the program celebrating the most prominent people in industry in the world, the festival will celebrate the memory of Italian icon Gina Lollobrigida, who died last January. In this context, the festival will screen, on the day before the official opening, that is, on August 29, the film “The Prodigal Wife,” starring Gina Lollobrigida, and directed by Mario Soldati. It will be preceded by the screening of the documentary film filmed by Orson Welles entitled “Portrait of Gina” (1958).

There is also a celebration of one of the icons of Italian cinema, director Ruggero De Dato, who passed away in December last year, and one of his most important films will be shown, entitled “The Last Worlds of Cannibals.” The festival will also celebrate half a century since the passing of the Italian star Anna Magnani, and will screen the famous film “Exquisite Beauty” (1953), directed by Luchino Visconti.

Last February, world cinema lost one of the greats of film directing, the Spanish Carlos Saura, and his film, “The Hunt,” which won the Berlin Film Festival award in 1965, will be shown. On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the birth of the great Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu, the festival will show a new version. , neither distorted nor censored or cropped from his film, “There Was a Father” (1942).