Cinema: The 63rd Venice Film Festival

The 63rd Mostra di Venezia (or Venice Film Festival) kicks off on August 30 with the opening ceremony hosted by Isabella Ferrari, followed by the world premiere of Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia (see previous post). The festival runs August 30 to September 9, and is directed by Marco Müller. This year the jury will be chaired by actress Catherine Deneuve and director David Lynch will receive a Golden Lion for his career. The main sections are Venezia 63 - In Competition, Venezia 63 - Out of Competition, Horizons and Corto Cortissimo. The program also includes retrospective sections and tributes. Check out the full screenings schedule.

The aim of the Festival is to encourage the awareness and the promotion of all the various aspects of international cinema as art, entertainment and industry, in a spirit of freedom and tolerance. Remember that last year Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain won the Golden Lion for best film.