Controversial win
not win the best actor prize
- it went to Italian actor Luca Marinelli for the Jack London adaptation Martin Eden - but the director of Joker dedicated much of his speech to the talents of his leading man.
In the film, he transforms from struggling stand-up comedian Arthur Fleck into Batman’s classic nemesis. “Thank you for trusting me with your insane talents,” Phillips said to Phoenix.
Roy Andersson won best director for About Endlessness,
although hip complications prevented him from accepting the award in person.
Actress Ariane Ascaride took the best actress prize for the French domestic drama Gloria Mundi. Best screenplay went to Yonfan for the animated film No. 7 Cherry Lane,
about Hong Kong in 1967. He thanked Hong Kong for giving him the freedom to create. Roman Polanski’s Dreyfus affair film, An Officer and a Spy, won the grand jury prize, which recognizes other strong contenders for the Golden Lion. Polanski, who fled the U.S. after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a 13-yearold girl and has been a fugitive for over 40 years, was not at the ceremony to accept the award. The inclusion of An Officer and a Spy among the 21 films competing for the Golden Lion was widely criticized, although it was welcomed warmly by Venice Film Festival audiences. Jury president Martel issued a statement saying that while she does not “separate the art from the artist,” she bore no prejudice toward Polanski’s film.
Toby Wallace won best new talent award for his work in Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth. “We can’t believe we’re here in general, so anything extra is super nice,” Wallace said. Adapted from Rita Kalnejais’ comedic stage play, Babyteeth is about an ill teenage girl who falls in love with a small-time drug dealer.
Notable films in the main competition leaving the Lido empty-handed include the Brad Pitt space epic Ad Astra, Steven Soderbergh’s Meryl Streep-led Panama Papers comedy The Laundromat; and Noah Baumbach’s divorce drama Marriage Story, with Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. Best Actress for