1 August, 2006
By Melanie Rodier Source: Screen Daily
For the first time in Venice’s history, all 21 films in competition will be world premieres.
“This year we can be really happy as all the films we wanted in Venice are here,” artistic director Marco Mueller said at a press conference in Rome.
With new competition from the upcoming Rome Film Festival looming in the background, Mueller underlined Venice’s continued popularity among international producers and sales agents. He said the number of films viewed by the selection committed had actually risen this year to 1,429 from 1,100.
“Many producers and sales agents know that only Venice can offer a film something beyond just a launching-pad. Venice allows a film to have special visibility,” he said.
Biennale president Davide Croff said private sponsorship had risen 40% this year.
62 films are screening in the official selection.
Competition slots were particularly prized this year. In the past, US producers have often targeted out-of-competition slot for a less pressurized environment, but this year most US films will actually be playing in competition.
Out of the 13 US films in Venice, 9 are in competition, including Aronofsky’s The Fountain with Rachel Weisz, Allen Coulter’s Hollywoodland with Adrien Brody and Ben Affleck and Estevez’s Bobby with Sharon Stone and Anthony Hopkins.
Highlighting the trend, Mueller said Brian De Palma has asked for his Venice opener, The Black Dahlia, to be in competition. Traditionally, opening films play out-of-competition.
Orizzonti, the Venice competition dedicated to experimental films, will premiere Ethan Hawke’s The Hottest State and Shinji Aoyama’s Koorogi. The Orizzonti Doc section includes documentaries by Spike Lee (When the Levees Broke. A Requiem in Four Acts) and Edgar Reitz’s Heimat – Fragmente.
Out of competition films include David Lynch’s Inland Empire, Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center and Devil Wears Prada.
In terms of geography, the 63rd Venice festival marks one of the most wide-ranging editions, with films coming from a 27 countries. Chad (Daratt) and Thailand (Sang sattawat) both have films in competition for the first time.
Italy has 10 films in the official selection, including two in competition: Gianni Amelio’s The Missing Star and Emanuele Crialese’s Nuovomondo (The Golden Door).
Japan has six films in Venice, including two in the main competition. France has four films, including two in the main competition: Benoit Jacquot’s L’Intouchable and Alain Resnais’ Private Fears In Public Places.
There are 11 debut features from 11 countries, all set to compete for the Lion of the Future award, which offers a Euros 100,000 prize to the best first film. First features include animation film Gedo Senki by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro.
The festival’s closing film will be Russian director Pavel Lounguine’s Ostrov.
IN COMPETITION
OPENING FILM: THE BLACK DAHLIADir: Brian De PalmaUSA – 120’
Main cast: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw
FALLENDir: Barbara AlbertAustria – 88’
Main cast: Nina Proll, Birgit Minichmayr, Ursula Strauss
LA STELLA CHE NON C’ÈDir: Gianni AmelioItaly, France, Switzerland, Singapore – 103’
Main cast: Sergio Castellitto, Tai Ling
THE FOUNTAINDir: Darren AronofskyUSA – 96’
Main cast: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz
HOLLYWOODLANDDir: Allen CoulterUSA – 126’
Main cast: Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins
THE GOLDEN DOORDir: Emanuele CrialeseItaly, France – 120’
Main cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato, Francesco Casisa
CHILDREN OF MENDir: Alfonso CuarónUK, USA – 114’
Main cast: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine
BOBBYDir: Emilio EstevezUSA – 120’
Main cast: Sharon Stone, Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Lindsay Lohan, Laurence Fishburne
THE QUEENDir: Stephen FrearsUK, France, Italy – 97’
Main cast: Helen Mirren, James Cromwell, Michael Sheen
DARATTDir: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun CiadFrance, Belgium, Austria – 96’
Main cast: Ali Barkai, Youssouf Djoro, Hisseine Aziza
L’INTOUCHABLEDir: Benoît JacquotFrance – 82’
Main cast: Isild Le Besco, Bérangère Bonvoisin, Marc Barbé
PAPRIKADir: Kon Satoshi
Japan – 90’
NUE PROPRIÉTÉDir: Joachim LafosseBelgium, Luxembourg, France – 92’
Main cast: Isabelle Huppert, Jérémie Renier, Yannick Renier
MUSHI-SHIDir: Ôtomo KatsuhiroJapan – 131’
Main cast: Joe Odagiri, Makiko Esumi, Nao Omori
PRIVATE FEARS IN PUBLIC PLACESDir: Alain ResnaisFrance, Italy – 120’
Main cast: Lambert Wilson, Sabine Azema, André Dussollier, Laura Morante, Pierre Arditi, Isabelle Carré
QUEI LORO INCONTRIDir: Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle HuilletItaly, France – 68’
Main cast: Angela Nugara, Vittorio Vigneti, Grazia Orsi
EXILEDDir: Johnnie ToHong Kong, China – 98’
Main cast: Francis Ng, Nick Cheung, Simon Yam, Anthony Wong
HEI YANQUANDir: Tsai Ming-LiangTaiwan, France, Austria – 115’
Main cast: Kang-Sheng Lee, Shiang-Chyi Chen, Atun Norman
BLACK BOOKDir: Paul VerhoevenNetherlands, Germany, UK – 135’
Main cast: Carice van Houten, Thom Hoffman, Sebastian Koch, Halina Reijn
EJFORIJADir: Ivan VyrypaevRussia – 74’
Main cast: Polina Agureeva, Maxim Ushakov, Mikhail Okunev
SANG SATTAWATDir: Apichatpong WeerasethakulThailand, France – 105’
Main cast: Nantarat Sawaddikul, Jaruchai Iamaram, Sophon Pukanok, Jenjira Pongpas
OUT OF COMPETITION
QUELQUES JOURS EN SEPTEMBREDir: Santiago AmigorenaFrance, Italy – 112’
Main cast: Juliette Binoche, John Turturro, Sara Forestier, Nick Nolte
THE MAGIC FLUTEDir: Kenneth Branagh UK – 135’
Main cast: Joseph Kaiser, Amy Carson, Benjamin Jay Davis, Lyubov Petrova, René Pape
THE BANQUETDir: Feng XiaogangChina – 131’
Main cast: Daniel Wu, Zhang Ziyi, Ge You
DEVIL WEARS PRADADir: David FrenkelUSA – 110’
Main cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci
OSTROVDir: Pavel LounguineRussia – 112’
Main cast: Petr Mamonov, Dmitry Dyuzhev, Viktor Sukhorukov
INLAND EMPIREDir: David LynchUSA – 168’
Main cast: Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux, Julia Ormond
TALES FROM EARTHSEADir: Miyazaki Goro
Japan – 115’
BELLE TOUJOURSDir: Manoel de OliveiraPortugal – 68’
Main cast: Michel Piccoli, Bulle Ogier
WORLD TRADE CENTEROliver StoneUSA – 129’
Main cast: Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello
OUT OF COMPETITION – MIDNIGHT
PARA ENTRAR A VIVIRDir: Jaume BalagueroSpain – 68’
Main cast: Macarena Gómez, Adrià Collado, Nuria González, Ruth Díaz
ROB-B-HOODDir: Chan BennyHong Kong, China – 134’
Main cast: Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Michael Hui
BAAZ HAM SIB DAARI?Dir: Fazli BayramIran – 90’
Main cast: Zabih Afshaar, Leila Mousavi, Ali Yaagoubi
SAKEBIDir: Kurosawa KiyoshiJapan – 96’
Main cast: Kôji Yakusho, Manami Konishi, Hiroyuki Hirayama, Joe Odagiri
THE WICKER MANDir: Neil LabuteUSA – 97’
Main cast: Nicolas Cage, Molly Parker, Ellen Burstyn, Leelee Sobieski
JAKPAEDir: Ryoo Seung-wanSouth Korea – 92’
Main cast: Ahn Jae-mo, Ahn Kil-Kang, Jeong Seok-yong, Jo Deok-hyeon
SUMMER LOVEDir: Piotr UklanskyPoland – 93’
Main cast: Boguslaw Linda, Karel Roden, Katarzyna Figura, Val Kilmer
OUT OF COMPETITION – SPECIAL EVENT
LETTERE DAL SAHARADir: Vittorio De SetaItaly – 123’
Main cast: Djbril Kebe, Paola Ajmone Rondo
HORIZONS
SUELYDir: Karim AinouzBrazil – 90’
Main cast: Hermila Guedes, Maria Menezes, Zezita Matos, Joao Miguel Leonelli, Georgina Castro, Claudio Jabo Randy, Marcélia Cartaxo, Matheus Vieira
KOOROGIDir: Shinji AoyamaJapan – 102’
Main cast: Suzuki Kyoka, Yamazaki Tsutomu
THE HOTTEST STATEDir: Ethan HawkeUS – 117’
Main cast: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Laura Linney, Sonia Braga, Ethan Hawke, Mark Webber, Michelle Williams
TAIYANG YUDir: Yuhang HoMalaysia, Hong Kong – 102’
Main cast: Kuan Choon Wai, Liu Wai Hung, Yasmin Ahmad, Cheung Wing Hong
SVOBODNOE PLAVANIEDir: Boris KhlebnikovRussia – 101’
Main cast: Alexander Yatsenko, Daria Ekamasova, Evgeny Syty
EL COBRADORDir: Paul LeducMexico, Argentina, Brazil – 90’
Main cast: Peter Fonda, Antonella Costa, Dolores Heredia, Jesus Ochoa
MABEI SHANG DE FATINGDir: Jie LiuChina – 105’
Main cast: Li Baotian, Ning Yangya, Lai Luyu, Liang Liting
INFAMOUSDir: Douglas McGrathUS – 118’
Main cast: Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig, Peter Bogdanovich, Jeff Daniels, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, Sigourney Weaver
OPERA JAWADir: Garin NugrohoIndonesia – 120’
Main cast: Martínus Míroto, Eko Supríyato, Retno Marutí, Nyoman Sura
QUIJOTEDir: Mimmo PALADINOItaly – 75’
Main cast: Peppe Servillo, Lucio Dalla, Alessandro Bergonzoni, Enzo Cucchi, Ginestra Palladino, Enzo Moscato
NON PRENDRE IMPEGNI STASERADir: Gianluca TavarelliItaly – 96’
Main cast: Luca Zingaretti, Giorgio Tirabassi, Alessandro Gassman, Andrea Renzi, Paola Cortellesi, Francesca Inaudi, Donatella Finocchiaro, Michela Cescon
ROMA WA LA N’TOUMADir: Tariq TeguiaAlgeria, France, Germany – 111’
Main cast: Samira Kaddour, Rachid Amrani
HORIZONS (DOCUMENTARY)
ANA ALATI TAHMOL AZOUHOUR ILA QABRIHADirs: Hala Allabdalla Yakoub, Ammar Al Beik
Siria, France – 110’
BELLISSIME 2Dir: Giovanna Gagliardo
Italy – 180’
DONGDir: Zhangke Jia
China – 63’
THE US Vs JOHN LENNONDirs: David Leaf, John Scheinfeld
US – 99’
WHEN THE LEEVES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTSDir: Spike Lee
US – 240’
TACHIGUISHI RETSUDENDir: Mamoru Oshii
Japan – 104’
HEIMAT – FRAGMENTEDirs: Edgar Reitz, Christian Reitz
Germany – 145’
