Maybe family is everything. Jim Jarmusch’s ensemble film, Father Mother Sister Brother, has just won the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival. “Oh shit,” the surprised Jarmusch began in his speech. “All of us here who make films are not motivated by competition, but this is something I truly appreciate.” The film’s divided into three stories, all linked together conceptually: Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik are siblings visiting their father, Tom Waits, in the northeastern US; sisters Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps visit their mother Charlotte Rampling in Dublin; and twins Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat make one last trip to their late parents’ apartment in Paris. Despite the strong familial theming of the film, Jarmusch emphasizes in his speech that “Art does not have to address politics directly to be political.” He continued, “It can engender empathy and a connection between us, which is really the first step for solving things and problems that we have. So I thank you for appreciating our quiet film.”
It was a surprise for some, including Jarmusch, that his film won the Golden Lion. The Voice of Hind Rajab, who won the runner-up prize of Silver Lion, was also beloved by critics and earned the longest standing ovation of this year’s festival. “I dedicate this award to the Palestinian Red Crescent and to all those who have risked everything to save lives in Gaza. They are real heroes,” director Kaouther Ben Hania shared in her speech. “The voice of Hind is the voice of Gaza itself, a cry for rescue the entire world could hear, yet no one answered. Her voice will continue. Her voice will continue to echo until accountability is real, until justice is served.”
Below, the winners of this year’s Venice Film Festival.
Golden Lion Winners
Golden Lion: Father Mother Sister Brother (directed by Jim Jarmusch)
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: The Voice of Hind Rajab (directed by Kaouther Ben Hania)
Silver Lion for Best Director: Benny Safdie for The Smashing Machine
Special Jury Prize: Below the Clouds (directed by Gianfranco Rosi)
Best Screenplay: À Pied d’œuvre (written by Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand)
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Xin Zhilei for The Sun Rises on Us All
Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Toni Servillo for La Grazia
Marcello Mastroianni Best Young Actor Award: Luna Wedler for Silent Friend
Audience Award — Armani Beauty: Calle Málaga (directed by Maryam Touzani)
Orizzonti Winners
Orizzonti Best Film: On the Road (directed by David Pablos)
Orizzonti Best Director: Anuparna Roy for Songs of the Forgotten Trees
Orizzonti Special Jury Prize: Lost Land (directed by Akio Fujimoto)
Orizzonti Best Actress: Benedetta Porcaroli for The Kidnapping of Arabella
Orizzonti Best Actor: Giacomo Covi for A Year of School
Orizzonti Best Screenplay: Hiedra (written by Ana Cristina Barragán)
Orizzonti Best Short Film: Without Kelly (directed by Lovisa Sirén)
Lion of the Future — Luigi De Laurentiis Venice Award for a Debut Film: Short Summer (directed by Nastia Korki)
Classic and Immersive (VR) Winners
Venice Classics — Best Documentary on Cinema: Mata Hari (directed by Joe Beshenkovsky and James A. Smith)
Venice Classics — Best Restored Film: Bashu, The Little Stranger (directed by Bahram Beyzaie)
Venice Immersive Grand Prize: The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up (directed by Singing Chen and Shuping Lee)
Venice Immersive Special Jury Prize: Less Than 5GR of Saffron (directed by Négar Motevalymeidanshah)
Venice Immersive Achievement Prize: A Long Goodbye (directed by Kate Voet and Victor Maes)
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And more winners from the Venice Film Festival.
