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Epic Sicilian film opens Venice | Epic Sicilian film opens Venice |
(20 minutes later) | |
The Venice Film Festival has begun, with Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee declaring it the "greatest film festival in the world". | The Venice Film Festival has begun, with Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee declaring it the "greatest film festival in the world". |
The Taiwanese film-maker is heading this year's festival panel, which will choose the winner of the Golden Lion. | The Taiwanese film-maker is heading this year's festival panel, which will choose the winner of the Golden Lion. |
Organisers selected an Italian film for the opening night, Guiseppe Tornatore's Sicilian-based family epic Baaria. | Organisers selected an Italian film for the opening night, Guiseppe Tornatore's Sicilian-based family epic Baaria. |
Previous years have seen big Hollywood movies opening the celebrations, with major US stars stealing the show. | Previous years have seen big Hollywood movies opening the celebrations, with major US stars stealing the show. |
Clooney returns | Clooney returns |
Ang Lee won the Golden Lion himself in 2005 for Brokeback Mountain, a film that went on to enjoy commercial success as well as winning Lee a best director Oscar. | Ang Lee won the Golden Lion himself in 2005 for Brokeback Mountain, a film that went on to enjoy commercial success as well as winning Lee a best director Oscar. |
But he said he had mixed feelings about film competitions. | But he said he had mixed feelings about film competitions. |
"I do not believe we can do justice to film in competition. Each movie has its own merit," he said. | "I do not believe we can do justice to film in competition. Each movie has its own merit," he said. |
But he added: "At the same time I have witnessed competition as a most exciting thing in film culture." | But he added: "At the same time I have witnessed competition as a most exciting thing in film culture." |
US actress Eva Mendes arrives for the opening ceremony | US actress Eva Mendes arrives for the opening ceremony |
Lee acknowledged the good that awards can achieve, citing the success of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai in Venice in 1954, when it won the Silver Lion, as a "great inspiration for Asian film-makers". | Lee acknowledged the good that awards can achieve, citing the success of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai in Venice in 1954, when it won the Silver Lion, as a "great inspiration for Asian film-makers". |
But he added: "I have seen some films which I thought should have won but did not and sometimes I have seen films that did win that should not have." | But he added: "I have seen some films which I thought should have won but did not and sometimes I have seen films that did win that should not have." |
Among the films in competition for the 66th festival this year are John Hillcoat's The Road, starring Charlize Theron and Viggo Mortensen; Werner Herzog's remake of The Bad Lieutenant, with Nicolas Cage taking the role originally played by Harvey Keitel; and French offering White Material, with Isabelle Huppert. | |
American documentary film-maker Michael Moore is also returning to the festival circuit. | American documentary film-maker Michael Moore is also returning to the festival circuit. |
Having previously tackled gun crime and health care, this time Moore has turned his camera on the global economic crisis in Capitalism: A Love Story. | Having previously tackled gun crime and health care, this time Moore has turned his camera on the global economic crisis in Capitalism: A Love Story. |
There are also a number of high-profile films appearing out-of-competition, with George Clooney once again heading back to Venice to promote the quirky The Men Who Stare at Goats. | There are also a number of high-profile films appearing out-of-competition, with George Clooney once again heading back to Venice to promote the quirky The Men Who Stare at Goats. |
Steven Soderbergh, director of Traffic and Ocean's Eleven, is screening The Informant!, a film about whistle-blowing in corporate America, while American film-maker Abel Ferrara is showing Napoli, Napoli, Napoli. | Steven Soderbergh, director of Traffic and Ocean's Eleven, is screening The Informant!, a film about whistle-blowing in corporate America, while American film-maker Abel Ferrara is showing Napoli, Napoli, Napoli. |
During the festival, the creative team at Pixar will be handed a lifetime achievement honour for the great strides it has made in popular animation. The 3D version of Toy Story will also get its first public outing. | During the festival, the creative team at Pixar will be handed a lifetime achievement honour for the great strides it has made in popular animation. The 3D version of Toy Story will also get its first public outing. |