Venice Film Festival ‘saved’ with focus on Italian fare

ROME: The Venice Film Festival will put the accent on homegrown Italian cinema in September among its eclectic offering of international films, as the prestigious festival in its 77th year faces unprecedented challenges in the time of coronavirus. In a chaotic year that has seen the cancellation of rival competitions, shuttered film production and closed movie theatres across the globe, the festival in Italy´s beloved canal city will proceed from September 2 to 12 with 18 films vying for the top award, the Golden Lion. Auteurs with films in the main competition hail from Mexico, Azerbaijan, Israel, Russia, Iran, Japan, and India, among other countries, organisers said on Tuesday. “Cinema has not been overwhelmed by the tsunami of the pandemic but retains an enviable vitality,” said festival director Alberto Barbera. At the same time, he warned that some “spectacular titles” would be missing, still blocked by ongoing lockdowns around the world. Even so, “the heart of the festival is saved,” Barbera said.