American director Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother" won the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, reported Xinhua.
It was the night's "dark horse champ," said U.S. entertainment magazine The Hollywood Reporter.
Structured in three segments, the film tells the story of several siblings and their visits to their parents, highlighting family ties.
As he accepted his trophy, Jarmusch said, "All of us here who make films, we're not motivated by competition, but I truly appreciate this unexpected honor."
Meanwhile, Chinese actress Xin Zhilei won the Best Actress award Saturday night for her heart-wrenching performance in "The Sun Rises on Us All."
Directed by Chinese filmmaker Cai Shangjun, the film, known in Chinese as Ri Gua Zhong Tian, portrays a tragic romance of former lovers entangled by fate and unable to find redemption.
Xin was presented with the trophy by Chinese actress Zhao Tao, a member of the international jury for this year's competition.
In her acceptance speech, Xin said she felt both honored and proud to stand on the festival's stage as a Chinese actress.
She thanked the film's crew and offered words of encouragement to young girls: "To all the girls out there, if you have a dream, dare to imagine it and go after it — you never know, it might just come true."
The 82nd edition of the Venice International Film Festival ran from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6 at the Lido island of the Italian lagoon city, with 21 films in the main competition lineup.
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania's "The Voice of Hind Rajab," a film about a Palestinian girl killed in the Gaza conflict, took home the Grand Jury Prize.
In her speech, the director said that the voice of Hind is the voice of Gaza, a cry for rescue that waits for more answers. "Her voice will continue to echo until accountability is real, until justice is served," she said.
Italian actor Toni Servillo was awarded Best Actor for the film "La Grazia," while the prize for Best Director went to Benny Safdie for the film "The Smashing Machine."
Founded in 1932, the Venice International Film Festival is one of Europe's "Big Three" film festivals alongside the Cannes Film Festival in France and the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany.
- Golden Lion
- Venice Film Festival
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
