Netflix took four big prizes out of the competition, including Silver Lion winner Paolo Sorrentino for “The Hand of God,” Best Director Jane Campion for “The Power of the Dog,” Best Young Actor for Paolo Sorrentino’s “Hand of God” breakout Filippo Scotti, and Best Screenplay for first-time writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal for “The Lost Daughter.” “I was married in Italy, in Puglia. I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter in Italy. Really, my life as a director and writer and my film was born here, in this theater,” Gyllenhaal said upon taking the Screenplay prize, before thanking “Power of the Dog” director Jane Campion as an inspiration.
Penélope Cruz thanked her “Parallel Mothers” director Pedro Almodóvar upon receiving the Best Actress prize. “Your work ethic… is so hard to find in these crazy days,” she said. Last year’s Golden Lion winner Chloe Zhao returned to Venice this year as a member of the competition jury, which is being presided over by “Parasite” Oscar winner Bong Joon Ho. The “Parasite” Oscar winner became the first person from South Korea to serve as the president of the film festival’s seven-person jury. Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera hailed Bong as “one of the most authentic and original voices in worldwide cinema.” Additional competition jurors were actor Virginie Efira, actress Cynthia Erivo, actress Sarah Gadon, director Saverio Costanzo, and Alexander Nanau. VIRTUAL REALITY Best VR Story: “End of Night” (dir. David Adler) Best VR Experience: “Le bal de Paris de Blanca Li” (dir. Blanca Li) Best VR Grand Jury Prize: “Goliath: Playing with Reality” (dirs. Barry Gene Murphy, May Abdalla) Lion of the Future: “Imaculat” (dirs. Monica Stan, George Chiper-Lillemark) HORIZONS Orrizonti Audience Award: “The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic” (dir. Teemu Nikki) Best Short Film: “Los Huesos” (dirs. Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña) Best Screenplay: “107 Mothers” (Péter Kerekes, Ivan Ostrochovský) Best Actor: Piseth Chhun, “White Building” Best Actress: Laure Calamy, “À Plein Temps” Special Jury Prize: “El Grand Movimiento” (dir. Kiro Russo) Best Director: Eric Gravel, “À Plein Temps” Best Film: “Pilgrims” (dir. Laurynas Bareisa) MAIN COMPETITION Best Young Actor: Filippo Scotti, “The Hand of God” Special Jury Prize: “Il Buco” (dir. Michelangelo Frammartino) Best Screenplay: “The Lost Daughter” (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Best Actor: John Arcilla, “On the Job: Missing 8” Best Actress: Penélope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers” Silver Lion for Best Director: Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: “The Hand of God,” Paolo Sorrentino Golden Lion: “Happening” (dir. Audrey Diwan) Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
