The 82nd Venice Film Festival Kicks Off with a Star-Studded Red Carpet
At the Lido, the 82nd Venice Film Festival opened with Alexander Payne and his jury taking the stage, while Emanuela Fanelli did what few hosts dare: admit that her first encounter with cinema wasn’t through Godard, but “The Little Mermaid”. An opening so disarming, it felt more sincere than a thousand formal tributes. A triumphant Francis Ford Coppola then awarded director Werner Herzog the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Immediately after, director Paolo Sorrentino unveiled his much-anticipated “La Grazia”, the first film in competition, with Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti by his side, who brought a welcome lightness to the occasion. Earlier that afternoon, the Orizzonti section had screened “Mother” by Teona Strugar Mitevska. But the true show was elsewhere: the red carpet.
Alongside the celebrated masters Coppola and Herzog, the most applauded were the ever-elegant Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, and a striking cast of guests including Fernanda Torres, Heidi Klum, Barbara Palvin, Rose Villain, and Gue. And to think this is only the beginning. In the days to come, the Lido promises to transform into a social hub: Julia Roberts will make her Venetian debut alongside Jude Law, George Clooney, Emma Stone, and Emily Blunt, all set to grace the scene. Venice is not just a temple of cinema, but a living laboratory where glamour and reflection walk together.
Text: Germano D’Acquisto
Photos: Ludovica Arcero
