CJMYThe recession-era road trip drama Nomadland, directed by by Chinese-born Chloe Zhao won the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice film festival.
The film based on the book of the same name by Jessica Brudersees sees award-winning actor Frances McDormand play Fern, a widow who becomes a modern-day nomad after losing everything in the 2008 financial crisis.
“Thank you so much for letting us come to your festival in this weird, weird world and way,” said McDormand, as she and Zhao accepted the award via Zoom, appearing from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California where the film had a US premiere.
“We will see you down the road,” they said in unison while sitting inside a van used in the film, quoting a greeting used by the van dwellers.
Unlike previous years, the festival was missing glamorous celebrities and screaming fans from the sidelines of the red carpet.
The festival which prided itself on spectacular visuals took place under strict safety protocols with about half of the seats left empty at the Lido waterfront and guests wearing masks at screenings.
The 10-day Venice festival decided to go ahead to restore some hope to global cinema which has been bruised by the coronavirus pandemic.
British actor Vanessa Kirby won best lead actress for Pieces of a Woman, an harrowing drama about a couple’s emotional fallout after losing their baby during a home birth.
Italian Pierfrancesco Fabino won best lead actor for Padrenostro (Our Father), an Italian coming-of-age story that takes place after a terrorist attack in the 1970s.
Wife of a Spy filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa won the Silver Lion for best director, becoming only the second Japanese director to be so honored at the festival.
The Silver Lion grand jury prize went to Mexico’s Michel Franco for his dystopian drama New Order which explores abuse of power and class warfare.
The Russian film Dear Comrades!, about a 1960s era massacre in the former Soviet Union, won a special jury prize while Chaitanya Tamhane won best screenplay for The Disciple, about an Indian man’s pursuit to be a classical musician.
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