AFP – After the harsh criticism of “The Palace” by controversial director Roman Polanski, the Venice Film Festival will focus Monday on Woody Allen, who faces an almost complete boycott among Hollywood workers over accusations he denies of sexually assaulting his adopted daughter.
Unlike Polanski, who lives in Europe and is safe from the US judiciary that has been pursuing him for more than 40 years after convicting him of rape, no court is prosecuting Woody Allen (87 years), after accusations of sexually assaulting his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, which he denies. No investigation has succeeded in revealing his truth.
The director of “Annie Hall” and “Match Point”, a master of humor and social satire, has lived for years on the fringes of the seventh art, making almost no films in the United States, and for some he has become a symbol of impunity for sexual violence.
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His invitation to participate in the Venice Film Festival, where he passed the red carpet before presenting his non-competition French film “Coue de Chance”, divided opinions.
Some see this as a symbol of artists’ impunity, while others call for following the principle of the presumption of innocence or not mixing artistic creations with the behavior of their owners, as festival director Alberto Barbera believes.
In a statement to Agence France-Presse, Barbera called for “a distinction between the human being and the artist” in approaching this issue.
On the cinematic level, will the movie “Coue de Chance” be able to salvage the reputation of a director who has been lacking inspiration for years, or represent a creative breakthrough for him?
From left: French actresses Valerie Lemercier and Vittorio Storaro, American director Woody Allen and actress Lou de Lage in Venice on the occasion of the participation of “Coup de Chance”, which will be screened out of competition, at the 80th Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2023 at the Lido di Venezia. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP)
Allen filmed his fiftieth film in Paris with French actors, most notably Le de Laage, Melville Bobo, Nils Schneider and Valerie Lemercier. The film presents itself as a suspense thriller mixed with light slapstick. It revolves around an extramarital affair in an upscale Parisian neighborhood, and will be shown in French cinemas from September 27.
Sofia Coppola and Ryusuke Hamaguchi
In terms of competition to win the Golden Lion, this 80th edition of the Venice Festival, which continues to be absent from most of the participating film stars due to the historic strike of actors and screenwriters in Hollywood, is very diverse.
Among the films that won the admiration of international critics by the middle of the current Mostra session, the fantasy movie “Poor Things” starring American actress Emma Stone and directed by the Greek Yorgos Lanthimos, owner of “The Lobster” and “The Favorite”.
The films “Ferrari” – starring Adam Driver and directed by the American Michael Mann – and “The Beast” directed by Bertrand Bonlio and starring Léa Seydoux, also drew critics.
On Monday, the jury, chaired by director Damien Chazelle (director of “La La Land” and “Papillon”), which includes directors and actors, including New Zealand director Jane Campion and Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, will watch two long-awaited films.
The first film, titled “Priscilla”, directed by Sofia Coppola, is a biography of the singer Elvis Presley’s wife, and the second film is “Evil Dazzle” by Japanese director Ryosuke Hamaguchi, the owner of “Drive My Car”, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 2022.
As for French films, the Venice Film Festival will screen the film in competition “Our-Season” by Stéphane Brizier, and the film out of competition “Daaaaaali!” (“Dali”) by Quentin Doppio.