The mask wore by Tilda Swinton on the red carpet (a golden traditional Venetian carnival) is the proper synthesis of Venezia 77 opening ceremony. Excellence can be achieved even in a peculiar way. A creative one. The opening speech by the patroness Anna Foglietta has the same sentiment: «We the artists must find new answers» the Italian actress announce from the stage to a social distanced audience. It looks like a chess table, but instead of cold ivory pieces there are players that, although divided, are still able to share their passion. «This special edition challenged the dangers of uncertainty and for the first time the audience is asked for an active involvement. This means it is possible to make culture in a safe way in Italy again».
Here’s the star parade, the members of the jury and her president Cate Blanchett. «We are here and we made it. It’s a miracle» the Academy Award winner for Blue Jasmine announces with her firm, deep, fascinating and impossible not to love voice. The ideal camera focuses especially on Tilda Swinton, Leone d’oro alla carriera with Ann Hui that was unable to attend. «I’m asking myself two things on these days. First: how much and whick kind of cinema matters to me. Second: how to accept this immense privilege with a poker face» she says betraying emotion. But she’s still Tilda Swinton and here’s the irony. «I’m a punk girl obsessed with movies hitchiking for the station to take a train for the foothills of my masters’ eights». She quotes David Bowie triple repeating «Changes» first syllable celebrating the White Duke. She bows out remembering her fellow Marvel teammate Chadwick Boseman: «Wakanda forever!» she screams from the stage, and «Viva Venezia! Cinema cinema cinema! Nothing but love».
Alessio Lana
“I’m very very excited to be having a conversation with adults. I’ve been talking to chickens and pigs for the past six months so it’s a pleasure to be here”
The Eight Directors open the (supportive) Venezia 77
Solidarity and support for the world of cinema, but also determination so that the role of festivals is enhanced in such a dramatic moment: these are the purposes of the “magnificent eight” European festival directors for the opening of Venice 77. An initiative born by Alberto Barbera and by the Director of Cannes, Thierry Frémaux: in recent months, says Barbera, “we have formulated various hypotheses, but the situation was changing rapidly and the hypotheses were aging”. However, the desire for a joint initiative has not faded, materialized in the shared document read at the end of the Venetian ceremony (Tricia Tuttle of the BFI in London absent for personal reasons). Only «all together we can do, create and above all celebrate cinema», said Frémaux, who spent words on the difficult situation of the Cinemateca Brasileira. In a historical moment where, as the Director of Locarno Lili Hinstin affirms, we risk “losing the sense of the collective”, festivals have the task of reconnecting us to “discover, nourish, develop” talents and professionalism all over the world (underlines the Director of Rotterdam Vanja Kaludjerčić). With a look back on the positive experience of the traveling Karlovy Vary (remembered by the Director Karel Och) and one ahead of the upcoming edition (reduced but in presence) of San Sebastian (among the eight the Director José Lui Rebordinos), the co-signatories of the document (there is also the Director of the Berlinale Carlo Chatrian) intend to discuss with government institutions for support for festivals, Barbera specifies, “at the Community level”, in what Frémaux has defined the (difficult) “ride on the future” that awaits us.
Emanuele Bucci
