Nicole Kidman leaves Venice Film Festival after mother’s death

“I’m in shock and I have to go see my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me and she made me.

“I am beyond grateful to be able to speak her name in front of you all through Halina, the collision between life and art is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.

“We love you all.”

The 81st edition of the film festival closed on Saturday with the English-language debut of Pedro Almodovar. The room next door winning the festival’s most prestigious award, the Golden Lion, which rewards the best film.

Starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore in the lead roles, the film received an 18-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere earlier this week – one of the longest in recent memory.

Almodovar is a darling of the festival circuit and received a lifetime achievement award at Venice in 2019 for his bold, irreverent and often funny Spanish-language features.

Now 74, he decided to try his hand at English, telling reporters that to him it was like science fiction.

While The room next door had been widely tipped to win, the second Silver Lion prize came as a surprise – awarded to Italian director Maura Delpero for her slow-paced drama set in the Italian Alps during World War II – Vermiglio.

The award for best director went to American filmmaker Brady Corbet for his three-and-a-half-hour film. The Brutalistthe epic story of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor played by Adrien Brody, who seeks to rebuild his life in the United States.

The festival marks the start of awards season and regularly unveils strong Oscar frontrunners, with eight of the last 12 best director awards at the Academy Awards going to films that debuted in Venice.

The award for best screenplay went to Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega for I’m still herea film about Brazil’s military dictatorship, while the Special Jury Prize went to the drama about abortion April by Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili.

Frenchman Vincent Lindon was voted best actor for his performance in the film. The Silent Son.

The Venice jury was chaired this year by French actress Isabelle Huppert.

– With PA and Reuters