Venice: US indie director Jim Jarmusch won the Golden Lion award for the best film at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday with his family saga "Father Mother Sister Brother".
According to France24.com, the docudrama "The Voice of Hind Rajab", depicting the true-life account of the killing of a five-year-old Palestinian girl during the Gaza war, took the runner-up Silver Lion. Jarmusch's winning film, a three-part meditation on families, ageing, and the uneasy ties between parents and their adult children, was divided into chapters set in New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris. The film features an ensemble cast including Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat.
Each instalment of "Father Mother Sister Brother" explores domestic encounters where small gestures and silences outline the generational awkwardness within families. Italy's Toni Servillo was named best actor for his depiction of a weary president nearing the end of his mandate in "La Grazia", directed by Paolo Sorrentino. China's Xin Zhilei won best actress for her role in "The Sun Rises On Us All", a drama directed by Cai Shangjun focusing on sacrifice, guilt, and unresolved feelings between estranged lovers.
The Venice festival, which marks the start of the awards season, has been known to spot potential Oscar nominees, with films premiered here garnering over 90 Oscar nominations and winning nearly 20 in the past four years. This year, films addressing current events, such as the ongoing Israeli invasion of Gaza, made a significant impact. "The Voice of Hind Rajab" was particularly well-received, earning a record 24-minute standing ovation at its premiere.
Benny Safdie received the best director award for "The Smashing Machine", starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the real-life mixed martial arts pioneer Mark Kerr. Italy's Gianfranco Rosi won a special jury award for "Below the Clouds", a documentary about life in Naples.
Despite strong reviews, several films left Venice without awards, including Kathryn Bigelow's "A House of Dynamite", Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" re-telling, Noah Baumbach's "Jay Kelly", and South Korea's Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice". The main jury was chaired by US director Alexander Payne, with members including filmmakers Stéphane Brizé, Maura Delpero, Cristian Mungiu, and Mohammad Rasoulof, as well as actresses Fernanda Torres and Zhao Tao.