The Film Experience

Cuaron with Lion

As expected Roma and The Favourite won the biggest prizes at this year’s Venice Film Festival main competition. The two films screened on the same day and were both raved and loved equally. Roma, a story that Alfonso Cuarón based on his memories growing up in 1970’s Mexico City, has been hailed as both personal and epic which bodes well for its awards success...

Cuarón follows his friend and Jury President Guillermo Del Toro in winning the Golden Lion. The Favourite won the Grand Jury Prize i.e. second place.

Olivia with Volpi

In addition the jury, which included Naomi Watts, Taika Waititi and Sylvia Chang, awarded The Favourite’s Olivia Colman best actress. This marks the first of (we think) many prizes for her this year. Her performance as Queen Anne, who's at the center of a treacherous sapphic love triangle, has been critically singled out as first amongst equals. Conceivably awarding only her and not sharing the award with co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, might settle the decision on which category she’ll be campaigned for the Oscar.

Baykali with Naomi

The only female director in competition, The Babadook's Jennifer Kent, won third place for The Nightingale, a violent revenge story set in 1800's Tasmania. One of the film’s actors, Baykali Ganambarr, won the young performer award. Willem Dafoe won best actor for his performance as Vincent van Gogh in Julian Schnabel's At Eternity's Gate. The Coens won best screenplay for their Western anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Another western, The Sisters Brothers, won Jacques Audiard best director. Very well done English language films!

The unofficial Queer Lion went to José by Li Cheng, a Guatemalan film about a random hookup that turns into a grand passion that forces pain and self reflection. Here is the full list of winners in the main competition:

Golden Lion: Roma, Alfonso Cuarón.

Grand Jury Prize: The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos.

Silver Lion for Best Director: Jacques Audiard, The Sisters Brothers.

Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite.

Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate.

Best Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

Special Jury Prize: The Nightingale, Jennifer Kent.

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Young Performer: Baykali Ganambarr, The Nightingale.