65th Venice International Film Festival

The 65th annual Venice International Film Festival, held in Venice, Italy, was opened on 27 August 2008 by Burn After Reading,[1] and closed on 6 September 2008.[2] International competition jury, led by Wim Wenders, awarded Golden Lion to The Wrestler, directed by Darren Aronofsky.[2]

65th Venice International Film Festival
Festival poster
Opening filmBurn After Reading
LocationVenice, Italy
Founded1932
AwardsGolden Lion - The Wrestler
Hosted byKsenia Rappoport
Festival date27 August – 6 September 2008
WebsiteWebsite
Venice Film Festival chronology

Most of the films at the festival were world premieres.[3] Featured in the 65th film festival was a restored version of Federico Fellini's 1952 comedy The White Sheik with forty minutes of newly discovered footage.[4] Films screened out of competition included 35 Shots of Rum by Claire Denis, Abbas Kiarostami's Shirin, and an autobiographical documentary by Agnès Varda.[2] The record for the longest film at the festival went to Philippine director Lav Diaz's Melancholia, with a running time of approximately seven and a half hours, and which was included in the Orizzonti competition section.[3]

65th Venice International Film Festival

77-year-old Italian film director Ermanno Olmi received a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.[5][6][7] The festival was dedicated to the late Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, who was notable for his contributions to Arab cinema.[2] The festival's shorts competition began 1 September 2008 with Natalie Portman's directorial debut, Eve. Kseniya Rappoport was the host of the opening and closing ceremonies.[8]

Juries edit

The international juries of the 65th Venice International Film Festival were composed as follows:[9]

Main Competition (Venezia 65) edit

Horizons (Orizzonti) edit

Opera Prima ("Luigi de Laurentis" Award for a Debut Film) edit

Official Sections edit

In Competition edit

The competitive section of the official selection is an international competition of feature films in 35mm and digital HD format running for the Golden Lion.[10][11]

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Achilles and the Tortoise アキレスと亀 Takeshi Kitano Japan
Birdwatchers La terra degli uomini rossi Marco Bechis Italy
The Burning Plain Guillermo Arriaga United States
Giovanna's Father Il papà di Giovanna Pupi Avati Italy
The Hurt Locker Kathryn Bigelow United States
Inju: The Beast in the Shadow Inju, la bête dans l'ombre Barbet Schroeder France
Inland Gabbla Tariq Teguia Algeria, France
Jerichow Christian Petzold Germany
Milk Süt Semih Kaplanoglu Turkey, France, Germany
The Other One L’Autre Patrick Mario Bernard, Pierre Trividic France
Paper Soldier Бумажный солдат Aleksei German Russia
A Perfect Day Un giorno perfetto Ferzan Özpetek Italy
Plastic City 荡寇 Yu Lik-wai Brazil, China, China(Hong Kong), Japan
Ponyo 崖の上のポニョ Hayao Miyazaki Japan
Rachel Getting Married Jonathan Demme United States
The Seed of Discord Il seme della discordia Pappi Corsicato Italy
The Sky Crawlers スカイ·クロラ Mamoru Oshii Japan
Teza ጤዛ Haile Gerima Ethiopia, Germany, France
This Night Nuit de Chien Werner Schroeter France, Germany, Portugal
Vegas: Based on a True Story Amir Naderi United States
The Wrestler Darren Aronofsky United States, France
Highlighted title indicates the Golden Lion winner.

Out of Competition edit

New works by directors who have been honored in past festivals, as well as movies shown in the midnight time band.[12]

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Feature films
35 Shots of Rum 35 Rhums Claire Denis France, Germany
The Beaches of Agnès Les Plages d'Agnes Agnès Varda France
Burn After Reading (opening film) Joel and Ethan Coen United States
Embodiment of Evil Encarnação do Demônio Jose Mojica Marins Brazil
Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit ギララの逆襲/洞爺湖サミット危機一発 Minoru Kawasaki Japan
Puccini and the Girl Puccini e la fanciulla Paolo Benvenuti Italy
Queens of Langkasuka ปืนใหญ่จอมสลัด Nonzee Nimibutr Thailand
Shirin شیرین Abbas Kiarostami Iran
Vinyan Fabrice Du Welz France, United Kingdom, Belgium
Short films
Do Visível ao Invisível Manoel de Oliveira Brazil, Portugal
Cry Me a River 河上的爱情 Jia Zhangke China, Spain, France
Vicino al Colosseo c’è Monti Mario Monicelli Italy
Special Event
Yuppi du Adriano Celentano Italy
Events
Bajo el signo de las sombras (1984) Ferrán Alberich Spain
Bicycle Thieves (1948) Ladri di biciclette Vittorio De Sica Italy
Cairo Station (1958) باب الحديد Youssef Chahine Egypt, France
Life in Shadows (1947) Vida en Sombras Lorenzo Llbobet Gracia Spain
Orfeus 9 (1975) Orfeo 9 Tito Schipa Jr. Italy
La rabbia di Pasolini (2008) Pier Paolo Pasolini, Giuseppe Bertolucci Italy
Takadanobaba Duel (1937) Kettô Takadanobaba Masahiro Makino, Hiroshi Inagaki Japan
Tutto è musica (1963) Domenico Modugno Italy
Nel blu dipinto di blu - Volare (1959) Piero Tellini

Horizons (Orizzonti) edit

The following films were selected for the Horizons (Orizzonti) section:[13]

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
In Competition
The First Day of Winter Il primo giorno d’inverno Mirko Locatelli Italy
Goodbye Solo Ramin Bahrani United States
The Herb of the Rat A Erva do Rato Julio Bressane Brazil
I'm Gonna Explode Voy a explotar Gerardo Naranjo Mexico
Jay Francis Xavier Pasion Philippines
Un Lac Philippe Grandrieux France
Melancholia Lav Diaz Philippines
Pa-ra-da Marco Pontecorvo Italy, France, Romania
Parc Arnaud des Pallières France
Perfect Life 完美生活 Emily Tang China, China(Hong Kong)
Khastegi خستگی Bahman Motamedian Iran
Wild Field Дикое поле Mikheil Kalatozishvili Russia
Zero Bridge Tariq Tapa India, United States
Documentaries
Below Sea Level Gianfranco Rosi Italy, United States
L'Exil et le royaume Andreο Schtakleff, Jonathan Le Fourn France
Los Herederos Eugenio Polgovsky Mexico
In Paraguay Ross McElwee United States
Puisque nous sommes nés Jean-Pierre Duret, Andréa Santana France, Brazil
Women Huang Wenhai China, Switzerland
Z32 Avi Mograbi Israel, France
Horizons Events
Antonioni su Antonioni Carlo Di Carlo Italy
La fabbrica dei tedeschi Mimmo Calopresti
Soltanto un nome nei titoli di testa Daniele Di Biasio
ThyssenKrupp Blues Pietro Balla, Monica Repetto
Valentino: The Last Emperor Matt Tyrnauer United States
Venezia '68 Antonello Sarno, Steve Della Casa Italy
Verso Est Laura Angiulli Italy, Bosnia
Highlighted titles indicate the Horizons Awards for Best Film and Best Documentary respectively.

Short Film Competition (Corto Cortissimo) edit

The following films were selected for the Short film competition (Corto Cortissimo) section:[14]

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
In competition
1937 Giacomo Gatti, Francesco Carrozzini United States, Italy, France
The Altruists De onbaatzuchtigen Koen Dejaegher Belgium
Ashes Engagement Noces de cendre Pierre Eden Simon Belgium
The Butcher’s Shop Philip Haas United States
Corpus/Corpus Christophe Loizillon France
The Dinner Vacsora Karchi Perlmann Hungary
Every Breath You Take Vdih (working title) Igor Sterk Slovenia
I Don't Dream in German Ich träume nicht auf Deutsch Ivana Lalovic Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I’m in Away from Here Catriona MacInnes United Kingdom
Land and Bread Tierra y Pan Carlos Armella Mexico
Lies Lögner Jonas Odell Sweden
Mine 我的 Liu Hui China
Sand Zand Joost Van Ginkel Netherlands
The Second Coming Teine tulemine Tanel Toom Estonia
The Stars Don't Twinkle in Outer Space Peter Thwaites United Kingdom
Ten Dix Bif France, United Kingdom
We Who Stayed Behind Vi der blev tilbage Martin de Thurah Denmark
When I’m 20 Khi toi 20 Dang Di Phan Vietnam
Out of competition
Eve (Opening film) Natalie Portman United States
Jarred (Closing film) Martin Gaiss
Alba Giorgia Farina Italy
Il colore della Bassa Giuseppe Morandi
Un canto lontano Alberto Momo
Managua Boxing Frediana Fornari
Highlighted title indicates Lion for Best Short Film winner.

These Phantoms: Italian Cinema Rediscovered (1946-1975) edit

Retrospective screenings and restorations. Special mono-graphic sessions dedicated to the "secret story of Italian cinema". This is the fifth part of the retrospective, initiated at the 61st edition of the festival.

English title Original title Director(s)
Fiction
Agostino (1962) Mauro Bolognini
Arcana (1972) Giulio Questi
The Basilisks (1963) I basilischi Lina Wertmüller
La bella di Lodi (1963) Mario Missiroli
City of Pain (1949) La città dolente Mario Bonnard
The City Stands Trial (1952) Processo alla città Luigi Zampa
Difficult Years (1948) Anni difficili Luigi Zampa
The Doll That Took the Town (1956) La donna del giorno Francesco Maselli
The Earth Cries Out (1949) Il grido della terra Duilio Coletti
Fire! (1968) Fuoco! Gian Vittorio Baldi
Flashback (1969) Raffaele Andreassi
A Girl... and a Million (1962) La cuccagna Luciano Salce
Leoni al sole (1961) Vittorio Caprioli
Letter at Dawn (1948) Una lettera all’alba Giorgio Bianchi
A New World (1964) Un monde nouveau Vittorio De Sica
Oh, Grandmother's Dead (1969) Toh è Morta la Nonna Mario Monicelli
Opiate '67 (1963) I Mostri Dino Risi
Our Lady of the Turks (1968) Nostra Signora dei Turchi Carmelo Bene
Paris, My Love (1962) Parigi o cara Vittorio Caprioli
Pelle Viva Giuseppe Fina
Revenge (1946) Un uomo ritorna Max Neufeld
The Sky Is Red (1950) Il cielo è rosso Claudio Gora
Smog (1963) Franco Rossi
Violent Life (1962) Una vita violenta Paolo Heusch, Brunello Rondi
The White Sheik (1952) Lo Sceicco Bianco Federico Fellini
Documentaries and shorts
E il Casanova di Fellini? (1975) Gianfranco Angelucci, Liliana Betti
Italia proibitac (1963) Enzo Biagi
La Forza e la Ragione (1971) Roberto Rossellini
Mysteries of Rome (1963) I misteri di Roma (collective film)
Provini per "Il padre selvaggio" (1962)[15] Pier Paolo Pasolini
Spot Banca di Roma (1992) Federico Fellini

Autonomous sections edit

Venice International Film Critics' Week edit

The following films were selected for the 23rd International Film Critics' Week:[16]

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
In competition
The Apprentice L'apprenti Samuel Collardey France
Cucumber Huanggua / Qing gua Zhou Yaowu China
Kabuli Kid Barmak Akram France, Afghanistan
Mid-August Lunch Pranzo di ferragosto Gianni Di Gregorio Italy
Nightguards Čuvari noći Namik Kabil Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sell Out! Yeo Joonhan Malaysia
Two Lines Iki Çizgi Selim Evci Turkey
Out of competition
Cold Lunch (Opening film) Lønsj Eva Sørhaug Norway
Pinuccio Lovero - Sogno di una morte di mezza estate (opening film) Pippo Mezzapesa Italy
Highlighted title indicates the Lion Of The Future winner.

Venice Days edit

The following films were selected for the 5th edition of Venice Days (Giornate Degli Autori) autonomous section:[17][18]

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
In competition
One Day in a Life Un altro pianeta Stefano Tummolini Italy
Broken Lines Sallie Aprahamian United Kingdom
Machan Uberto Pasolini Sri Lanka, Italy, Germany
The Visitor Muukalainen Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää Finland
Nowhere Man (N)iemand Patrice Toye Belgium
Hooked Pescuit sportiv Adrian Sitaru Romania
Landscape No. 2 Pokrajina št. 2 Vinko Möderndorfer Slovenia
Scratch Rysa Michał Rosa Poland
A Week Alone Una semana solos Celina Murga Argentina
Stella Sylvie Verheyde France
The Country Teacher Venkovský učitel Bohdan Sláma Czech Republic
Portraits (documentaries)
Che saccio Camille d'Arcimoles Italy
Il passato è il mio bastone Flavia Mastrella, Antonio Rezza
Villa degli Autori – Open Space
Adius Piero Ciampi e altre storie Ezio Alovisi Italy
Emilia Galotti: dal Settecento ad oggi Alessandro Berdini
Lo stato d’eccezione Germano Maccioni
Un paese diverso Silvio Soldini, Giorgio Garini

Official Awards edit

The following Official Awards were conferred at the 65th edition:[19]

In Competition (Venezia 65) edit

Horizons (Orizzonti) edit

Short Film Competition (Corto Cortissimo) edit

  • Lion for Best Short Film: Tierra y Pan by Carlos Armella[20]
    • Special Mention: Vacsora by Karchi Perlmann
  • U.I.P. Award for Best European Short: De onbaatzuchtigen by Koen Dejaegher

Luigi De Laurentis Award For a Debut Film edit

  • Mid-August Lunch by Gianni Di Gregorio

Independent Sections Awards edit

The following official and collateral awards were conferred to films of the autonomous sections:

Venice International Film Critics' Week edit

  • Best Film: The Apprentice by Samuel Collardey
  • Isvema Award for a debut or second feature film: Mid-August Lunch by Gianni Di Gregorio
  • Doc/it Award – Special mention: The Apprentice by Samuel Collardey
  • "Altre Visioni" Award: Sell Out! by Yeo Joon Han
  • EIUC Human Rights Film Award: Kabuli Kid by Akram Barmak

Venice Days (Giornate Degli Autori) edit

  • Label Europa Cinemas Award: Machan by Uberto Pasolini
  • Christopher D. Smithers Foundation Special Awards: Stella by Sylvie Verheyde
  • FEDIC Award: Machan by Uberto Pasolini
  • Lina Mangiacapre Award: Stella by Sylvie Verheyde

Independent Awards edit

The following collateral awards were conferred to films of the official selection:[21]

FIPRESCI Award edit

  • Best Film (Main competition): Gabbla by Tariq Teguia[22]
  • Best Film (Out of competition): Goodbye Solo by Ramin Bahrani

SIGNIS Award edit

Francesco Pasinetti Award (SNGCI) edit

Doc/it Award – Sicilia Film Commission edit

Leoncino d'oro Agiscuola Award edit

  • Giovanna's Father by Pupi Avati

Queer Lion edit

UNICEF Award edit

  • Teza by Haile Gerima

Art Cinema Award edit

  • Dikoe Pole (Wild Field) by Mikheil Kalatozishvili

La Navicella – Venezia Cinema Award edit

  • The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow

C.I.C.T. UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Award edit

Biografilm Lancia Award edit

  • Best Fiction Film: Rachel Getting Married by Jonathan Demme
  • Best Documentary: Below Sea Level by Gianfranco Rosi

Nazareno Taddei Award edit

  • Giovanna's Father by Pupi Avati

Don Gnocchi Award edit

  • Pa-ra-da by Marco Pontecorvo

Future Film Festival Digital Award edit

Brian Award edit

Lanterna Magica Award (Cgs) edit

  • Pa-ra-da by Marco Pontecorvo

CinemAvvenire, Best Film in Competition edit

  • Vegas: Based on a True Story by Amir Naderi
    • "The circle is not round. Cinema for peace and the richness of diversity" Award: Teza by Haile Gerima

Bastone Bianco Award (Filmcritica) edit

Human Rights Film Network Award edit

  • The Hurt Locker by Kahryn Bigelow

Arca Cinemagiovani Award edit

  • Best Film: The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow
  • Best Italian Film: Mid-August Lunch by Gianni Di Gregorio

Air For Film Fest Award edit

  • Pa-ra-da by Marco Pontecorvo

"Poveri ma belli" Award edit

  • Puccini e la fanciulla by Paolo Benvenuti

Mimmo Rotella Foundation Award edit

  • Ponyo by Hayao Miyazaki

Open Award 2008 edit

  • The Butcher's Shop by Philip Haas

References edit

  1. ^ "Venice seeks role as Oscars springboard", Ninemsn, Australia - Aug 23, 2008 Archived 2008-08-25 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c d Venice festival line-up revealed - BBC News - Entertainment, 30 July 2008
  3. ^ a b "PREVIEW: Venice seeks to consolidate role as Oscars springboard" Europe News, By Peter Mayer, Aug 21, 2008 Archived 2008-09-16 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Boston Herald, By Stephen Schaefer August 24, 2008
  5. ^ "Ermanno Olmi to receive Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement". Archived from the original on 2008-09-16. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  6. ^ "Director finds grace in the common man Critical Appreciation: Ermanno Olmi" Variety, By JAY WEISSBERG, Aug. 22, 2008
  7. ^ "The 2000s". 19 April 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  8. ^ "Rappoport to host..." Variety, 8-13-08
  9. ^ "Juries for the 2000s". Archived from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  10. ^ "65th Venice Film Festival Venezia 65 - Out of Competition". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  11. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (2008-07-29). "Venice Film Fest announces slate". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  12. ^ "65th Venice Film Festival Venezia 65 - Out of Competition". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  13. ^ "65th Venice Film Festival Orizzonti". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  14. ^ "65th Venice Film Festival Corto Cortissimo". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2018-04-24.
  15. ^ "Provini per "Il padre selvaggio"". cinematografo.it (in Italian). Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  16. ^ "23rd International Film Critics' Week". sicvenezia.it. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Venice Days 2008: 5th edition". venice-days.it. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Giornate degli Autori - Venice Days". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  19. ^ "65th Venice Film Festival Official Venezia 65 Awards". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  20. ^ "65th Venice Film Festival Official Corto Cortissimo Awards". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-09. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  21. ^ "Biennale Cinema 65th Venice Film Festival Collateral Awards". labiennale.org. Archived from the original on 10 September 2008.
  22. ^ "FIPRESCI Awards 2012". fipresci.org. Retrieved 21 April 2018.

External links edit