Venice Film Festival 2008 awards

September 8, 2008

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The 65th annual Venice Film Festival wrapped over the weekend. The Golden Lion for best film went to Darren Aronofsky for his drama The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke as a retired professional wrestler trying to make a comeback.

Rourke is one of the early contenders for an Oscar for his performance in the film, even if he missed out on the best actor prize in Venice. (The festival regulations do not allow the film that wins the Golden Lion to also get acting prizes.)

“We need to thank Mickey Rourke for opening up his heart and soul for the camera and reminding the world what a great talent he is,” said Aronofsky.

The Silver Lion for best director went to Russian helmer Alexei German Jr. for Paper Soldier, a film casting an unflattering light on the Soviet race to send the first man to space in the 1960s.

The acting prizes went to Italy’s Silvio Orlando for his portrayal of an overprotective father in Giovanna’s Father and French actress Dominique Blanc for her role of a jealous middle-aged woman in L’Autre.

Here are all the winners:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION JURY

GOLDEN LION
“The Wrestler,” (Darren Aronofsky, US)

SILVER LION
“Paper Soldier” (Aleksei German Jr., Russia)

GRAND JURY PRIZE
“Teza,” (Haile Gerima, Ethiopia-Germany-France)

ACTOR
Silvio Orlando (“Il Papa di Giovanna,” Italy)

ACTRESS
Dominique Blanc (”L’Autre,” France)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Haile Gerima (“Teza,” Ethiopia-Germany-France)

TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION (Cinematography)
Alisher Khamidhodjev, Maxim Drozdov (“Paper Soldier,” Russia)

MARCELLO MASTROIANNI PRIZE FOR YOUNG PERFORMER
Jennifer Lawrence (“The Burning Plain,” US)

SPECIAL LION FOR BODY OF WORK
Werner Schroeter (Germany)

OTHER JURIES