Venice 2023: Elisa, Jury of One.

by Elisa Giudici

"Poor Things" was the consensus favourite of the fest

The 80th Venice Film Festival is nearing its end, with the final ceremony and the Golden Lion awards on the horizon. It's time for some personal reflections, recognition for my favorites, and the challenging task of predicting the winners. Please note that these predictions may already be outdated depending on when you're reading this. 

General impressions, trends, predictions, wtf moments, and personal favorites after the jump...

Overall Impression of the Festival: The general consensus regarding this edition of the Venice Film Festival is that it featured some outstanding films, possibly even a masterpiece (or two), but lacked consistency. Apart from a small group of strong titles, both in and out of competition, there were numerous movies that simply did not work or were irredeemable. I had a couple of very disappointing experiences that I'd like to forget soon. This festival has taught me to appreciate the middle ground, "good" movies. It's been a rollercoaster of quality, with highs and lows that proved exhausting in the final days of the competition. Some stats: I managed to watch 35 movies (not bad), but I missed one film from the competition (Lubo by Giorgio Diritti), and this inability to "platinum the game" annoys me immensely.

PERSONAL FAVORITES...

"Hit Man" my personal favourite

My favorite film from the Mostra this year is out of competition. It seems that Richard Linklater was uncertain about the reception of his latest film, Hit Man, even asking journalists how it was received. My speculation here is that the production and distribution may not have fully understood the gem they had on their hands.

I've spoken to everyone I know, and it appears that no one disliked the movie even if they didn't agree that it was the best film here. The screenplay of this movie is phenomenal and Glen Powell's breakthrough performance should catapult him to much greater stardom. I sincerely hope that Hit Man receives the award recognition it deserves.

Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos also exceeded expectations even though it was highly anticipated. The artistic collaboration between Lanthimos and Emma Stone continues to reap rewards. The same can be said for Nikolaj Arcel and Mads Mikkelsen's reunion on Bastarden or The Promised Land (US title), a film that surprises with its command of a wide range of emotions.

I also must highlight Céline Sciamma's latest project: the 16-minute film titled This is How a Child Becomes a Poet. Sciamma has reached a new level in style and storytelling. Made in just two days, with no actors and edited on an iPad, it leaves a deep impression. It's remarkable how Sciamma's filmmaking, just as she's distancing herself from cinema, inch ever closer to perfection.

WHO WILL WIN?
I've had discussions with many colleagues, and we have a pool of titles from which we believe the jury will select the winners. However, predicting which film will win in which category is not easy. The favorite among many is Yorgos Lanthimos's Poor Things, so it's the clear front-runner for the Golden Lion. There's a saying that fits perfectly with Venice's awards: "The one who enters as the Pope in the Concilium exits as a Cardinal." In short, the favorite rarely ends up winning. Lanthimos should keep an eye out for politically charged films about migration to Europe, such as the Polish film Green Border by Agnieszka Holland and the Italian film Io Capitano by Matteo Garrone. I predict that these three films will all take home major prizes.

Léa Seydoux and George MacKay star in the French film La Bête (The Beast)

There are also at least three dark horses. The French film La Bête (The Beast) by Bertrand Bonello might stand a chance if the jury appreciated its homage to Lynch's INLAND EMPIRE and embraces the "cinema defies convention" mode. Ryusuke Hamaguchi's The Devil Does Not Exist might not be his strongest work, but it is still a very good film with strong writing and a powerful final act.

I'm not considering Bastarden a major contender for the Lion because I believe Mads Mikkelsen may have already secured the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the Danish film rises to even higher accolades, especially if it catches the attention of Jane Campion. The latest rumors suggest that Michel Franco's Memory will also receive significant recognition in the awards.

Here's my probable scenario:

• Golden Lion: "Poor Things"
• Grand Prix: "Io Capitano"
• Special Prize of the Jury: "Green Border" / "Bastarden"
• Best Director: Bertrand Bonello for "La Bête" / Ryusuke Hamaguchi for "The Devil Does Not Exist"
• Best Screenplay: Bertrand Bonello for "La Bête" / Ryusuke Hamaguchi for "The Devil Does Not Exist"
• Best Actor: Mads Mikkelsen for "Bastarden" / Peter Sarsgaard for "Memory"
• Best Actress: Lea Seydoux for "La Bête" / Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik for "Woman of…"
• "Premio Mastroianni" (Young Actor Award): Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall for "Io Capitano"

FUN MISCELLANIA

Nuns are back
The Mostra featured numerous unconventional and witty nuns. There's the young nun trying to save Pinochet's soul and finances in El Conde, nuns flirting with Elvis in Priscilla, and nuns unknowingly sheltering a transgender woman in Kobieta Z... (Woman of).

The animals
This year, dogs stole the show over cats. There was only a brief appearance by an abused cat in The Beast, while dozens of dogs were featured in Dogman, and an adorable white poodle graced Priscilla. Wildlife seems to be making a comeback in cinema, with a lioness roaming Rome in Finally Dawn, a deer taking a central role in The Devil Does Not Exist, and blue crabs being as apocalyptic as asteroids in The Order of Time. Impossibly hybridized pets played with Emma Stone in Poor Things.

Trend
Black and white appears to be the new black in cinema. This year's festival had a notable number of films shot partially or entirely in black and white, including El Conde, The Theory of Everything, Maestro, The Green Border, and Poor Things, along with out-of-competition entries like Tatami, Yurt, Ryuichi Sakamoto Opus and Day of the Fight.

Agnieska Holland's "Green Border"

Political Theme
The predominant political theme of this Mostra was immigration and the challenges faced by those who dream of living in Europe, as portrayed in films like Green Border, Io Capitano, and The Meatseller.

Strange Connections
Notable moments included Michael Fassbender doing yoga in The Killer, followed by George McKay doing the same in The Beast. Willem Defoe played a peculiar paternal figure in both Poor Things and Finally Dawn.

Best WTF? Moment
The final scene of Finally Dawn was a master class in "he should stop this nonsense now." The choking scene of the poor cat during the telephone call in The Beast was one of the many bizzarre moments of that movie.

Peter Sarsgaard and Jessica Chastain in "Memory"

Best Sex Scene
Richard Linklater's Hit Man and Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things introduced a considerable number of sex scenes into the competition, excelling in quantity. In terms of quality, Hit Man features the sexiest scene of the Mostra. You can take your pick from Adria Arjona's roleplay as a hostess, the highly charged initial exchanges with Glen Powell, or the final scene with its outrageous juxtaposition. The most dramatic sex scene, deserving of mention, is in Memory. It isn't violent or non-consensual; instead, it is a tender moment of lovemaking tinged with bitter memories.

A note to male viewers: male genitals faced challenges in the Mostra, including being bitten by a dog, cut with a knife (twice), and kicked several times.

A Little More to Come
There's still more to come, and then I'll be returning home. Thank you for reading!

VENICE 80 REVIEWS

• City of Wind and Ferrari
• Comandate and L'Ordine Del Tempo
• The Killer and Hit Man
• Maestro and Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
• The Palace, Finally Dawn, Adagio, and Theory of Everything
• Poor Things, El Conde, and The Promised Land
• Priscilla
• Sidonie in Japan, and Dogman

Comments

[Greg F]

Cailee Spaeny! wow

[NATHANIEL R]

I am so excited for POOR THINGS. And am still surprised by Best Actress given your review of that particular film.

[thevoid99]

HOLY SHIT!!!! ALRIGHT CAILEE!!!!!! And Peter Sarsgaard as well. NICE!!!

[Greg F]

So excited for POOR THINGS as well, I'm thrilled it had such a good reception. Stone seems well poised for a nom at least, seems she could've won Venice easily if the film didn't take the Golden Lion. It's all giving me (slight) hope for the fall season!

[McGill]

Thank you for your wonderful festival coverage, Elisa.

Your vivid descriptions have been such fun to read. Rest assured, although there may not have been many comments, there were tons of readers, appreciating what you had to say.