Key Takeaways
- Israeli film 'NAZA' receives record 25-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival.
- Competition includes South Korean drama 'Possible Love' and British-Irish comedy 'Wild Horse Nine'.
- Venice Golden Lion award is one of the industry's most prestigious honors.
The Venice Film Festival, known for its often dark and politically charged programming, is set to hand out its top awards on Saturday, with two films vying for the highest honor: the Israeli documentary 'NAZA' and the John Malkovich-starring dark comedy 'Wild Horse Nine'.
'NAZA', directed by Oscar winners Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, has earned a record 25-minute standing ovation at its premiere, according to film magazine Screen. The film, which features testimonies from 24 Israeli whistleblowers, provides detailed first-hand accounts of the AI-powered bombing of Gaza, where 73,500 have been killed since October 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The film faces competition from other well-received movies, including the poignant relationship study 'Possible Love' by South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong and the dark comedy 'Wild Horse Nine' by British-Irish director Martin McDonagh. 'Wild Horse Nine' stars Malkovich as a jaded CIA agent taking a break with a colleague on Easter Island in Chile ahead of the 1973 American-backed military coup there.
Director Martin McDonagh, known for his acid sense of humor, said his approach was a way to cope with the state of the world. 'The only way to deal with it is through humour and to try not to be ground down by it,' he told AFP.
Other films tackling issues from war, corruption, or economic inequality include Danny Boyle's 'Ink' about Britain's The Sun tabloid newspaper and 'Primetime', starring Robert Pattinson as an ambitious paedophile-hunting TV presenter. The only feature film directed by a woman in competition is 'Woman Unknown' by Danish-Egyptian director May el-Toukhy, which premiered as a World War II drama about a bride-to-be hiding the shame of her past relationship with a Nazi.
The Venice Golden Lion for best film is one of the industry's most prestigious awards, serving as marketing gold dust for a film while also boosting its chances in Hollywood's end-of-year awards season. The jury, headed by US actress-director Maggie Gyllenhaal, will make the final decision on Saturday night.
A victory for 'NAZA' would be a politically charged decision, given its detailed accounts of the AI-powered bombing of Gaza. The film is based on testimony from 24 Israeli whistleblowers, all of them with digitally altered identities, providing first-hand accounts of the conflict.
The festival also included tender fare such as Japan's 'Look Back', an adaptation of a top-selling manga about two schoolgirls who dream of becoming manga artists, providing a more personal and less politically charged narrative.
The only way to deal with it is through humour and to try not to be ground down by it.
Martin McDonagh, Director of 'Wild Horse Nine'
