If you were to ask us a week ago who would win the 78th Annual Venice Film Festival, we would probably have said “Bennifer.” But because “Best Throwback Celebrity Couple in Attendance” isn’t actually a category, the festival’s Jury, helmed by Bong Joon Ho, gave the Golden Lion for Best Film to an unexpected winner yesterday: French director Audrey Diwan’s period piece about how difficult it used to be for women to get safe abortion access in 1960s France, L’Événement (that’s Happening, in English). Coming one year after jurist Chloé Zhao’s win for Nomadland, Diwan’s win marks the first time that female directors have been awarded the Golden Lion over two consecutive years. This award also comes two months after another French female director, Julia Ducournau, won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for Titane. Below is the complete list of competition winners.
Golden Lion: L’Événement, Audrey Diwan (France)
Grand Jury Prize: The Hand of God, Paolo Sorrentino (Italy)
Silver Lion for Best Director: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog (New Zealand, Australia)
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Penélope Cruz, Madres Paralelas (Spain)
Volpi Cup for Best Actor: John Arcilla, On the Job: The Missing (Philippines)
Best Screenplay: The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal (Greece, USA, U.K., Israel)
Special Jury Prize: Il Buco, Michaelangelo Frammartino (Italy, France, Germany)
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Young Actor: Filippo Scotti, The Hand of God (Italy)
