The Golden Lion, the highest award at the 78th Venice International Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as Venice Film Festival), went to French female director Audrey Diwan’s ‘The Happening’. Director Bong Joon-ho, who served as the jury chairman of this film festival, also played an active part in the closing ceremony.
At the closing and awards ceremony of the 78th Venice Film Festival held at Palazzo del Cinema on the Italian island of Venice Lido on the 11th (local time), ‘Happening’ was awarded the Golden Lion Award unanimously by the jury. ‘Happening’ is a work that depicts the conflicts that a French college student goes through until she decides to have an abortion after an unintentional pregnancy in 1963.
Following the Golden Lion award for director Cloizao’s ‘Nomad Land’ last year, a female director’s work received the highest honor for the second year in a row. Audrey Diwan became the sixth female director to win the Golden Lion in the history of the Venice Film Festival. After receiving the award, director Audrey Diwan said, “I shot this film with anger and desire. It took courage, emotion, and reason. I hope that ‘Happening’ can be experienced.”
A poster for ‘The Happening’ directed by Audrey Diwan, who won the Golden Lion at the 78th Venice Film Festival.Audrey Diwan and other female directors stood out. Jane Campion, director of ‘The Power of the Dog’, won Best Director, and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who wrote and directed ‘The Lost Daughter’, won the Best Original Screenplay award.
The jury’s grand prize went to Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘Hand of God’, and the special jury award went to Michelangelo Framartino’s ‘Il Buco’. Spanish master Pedro Almodovar’s new film ‘Parallel Mothers’ won the award for Best Actress for Penelope Cruz. Filipino actor John Asilla took home the Best Actor trophy for his performance in Eric Marty’s ‘On the Job: The Missing 8’.
Actor Jeon Jong-seo’s Hollywood debut, ‘Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (directed by Ana Lilly Amipur)’, which was invited to the competition section, was unfortunately only unrelated.
Director Bong Joon-ho at the closing and awards ceremony of the 78th Venice Film Festival. Photo = Venice Film Festival SNS. Director Bong Joon-ho, who led the jury at the Venice Film Festival, was active throughout the film festival. On the final stage of the awards ceremony, he led the event with a unique witty appearance by calling out the winners and winning works such as Penelope Cruz. Filippo Scotty, who won the Rookie of the Year award, said, “So cute!” when his name was called, and laughed. Bong,” he said.
Director Bong Joon-ho said at a press conference immediately after the awards ceremony, “It was a difficult and enjoyable day. I watched 21 movies in 9 days. It was difficult because there were many good movies, so it was hard to contemplate.” said He also said, “I went according to the heart of the jury. I went according to my heart, but when I saw the winning films, there were female directors. As a result, I am very happy that it happened.”
Reporter Park Jeong-sun, Entertainment News Team park.jungsun@jtbc.co.kr (Content Business Headquarters)
