Latin America, special guest
It is therefore a special edition, which also confirms the excellent state of health of Latin American cinema, with four films in the official competition and three in the Horizons section, the most experimental, the cradle of future great names in the seventh art.
Awarded in 2015 with the Golden Lion for his dark film “From There”, the Venezuelan Lorenzo Vigas He returns to compete in Venice with “La caja”.
Another return to Venice is that of the Chilean Pablo Larrain, hailed six years ago for its haunting film about the mechanisms to cover up pedophile priests in “The Club”.
This year he competes with “Spencer”, dedicated to the weekend that Diana of Wales, played by Kristen Stewart, decided to divorce Prince Charles, heir to the crown of England.
The brilliant Argentine couple Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn returns to the Mostra for the third time with the film “Official Competition”, starring Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, “a song about narcissism, with an irresistibly ironic script”, Alberto Barbera stressed. director of the Mostra.
Another notable presence will be that of the Mexican filmmaker Michel Frank, who after having made an impact last year with his ruthless film “New Order”, returns to Venice with “Sundown”, with a prestigious cast consisting of, among others, Tim Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
“The average quality of the films is higher than usual”, confessed the director of the Mostra, during the online presentation of the festival, which for the second consecutive year will be held in the midst of the coronavirus outbreaks.
“It is as if the pandemic has stimulated creativity,” he acknowledged.
The prestigious festival will be held again in full respect of sanitary measures, without queues or crowds, with spectators seated at a distance and with the obligation to present the so-called “covid passport” that certifies vaccination.
In the Horizons section, Uruguayan filmmakers Rodrigo Plá and Laura Santullo, Bolivian Kiro Russo and Mexican Joaquín del Paso will compete with their respective films.
Out of competition, Ridley Scott will participate with “The last duel” with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and the long-awaited adaptation of the sci-fi classic “Dune”, directed by Denis Villeneuve, with impressive special effects.
The South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, hailed with Oscar for his great “Parasite”, will be the president of the jury, while the American actress Jamie Lee Curtis will receive the Golden Lion for his career and the Italian Roberto Benigni the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.