The 81st Venice Film Festival, the world's oldest cinematic celebration, concluded with a mix of triumph and sorrow. Nicole Kidman secured the Best Actress award for her role in "Babygirl," but was unable to attend the ceremony due to a personal tragedy.
Kidman, 57, portrayed a CEO entangled in an affair with a young intern, played by rising British actor Harris Dickinson, in director Halina Reijn's "Babygirl." The Australian-American actress, who previously won an Oscar for "The Hours" in 2002, expressed her grief through a note read by Reijn:
"Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed. I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me, and she made me."
The festival's most prestigious honor, the Golden Lion, was awarded to "The Room Next Door," marking Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar's English-language debut. The film, starring Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, received an impressive 20-minute standing ovation at its premiere.
Vincent Lindon claimed the Best Actor prize for his performance in the French drama "The Quiet Son," portraying a single father grappling with his son's far-right radicalization. This accolade adds to Lindon's previous Best Actor win at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.
The Luigi De Laurentiis award for debut films went to Sarah Friedland's "Familiar Touch," exploring an octogenarian's transition to assisted living and her struggles with aging and memory.
The festival, held on the picturesque Lido island in the Venetian Lagoon, showcased several high-profile premieres. Todd Phillips' "Joker: Folie à Deux," featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, made its world debut. Additionally, Luca Guadagnino's adaptation of William S. Burroughs' "Queer," starring Daniel Craig as a troubled expat, attracted significant attention.
As one of the "Big Three" film festivals alongside Cannes and Berlin, Venice continues to be a crucial platform for international cinema. This year's edition demonstrated the event's enduring significance in the global film industry, blending artistic achievement with personal narratives and showcasing both established talents and emerging voices in the world of cinema.