My Second Day at the Lido

On my second day at the Festival, I had my usual early morning  and arrived at the Lido at 9 am for a walk, and to have time to read Ciak, latest gossips,  and films’ plots sitting in front of the Excelsior hotel.

At 11 I went to see Gravity, which I thought has been realized with the accuracy of a master, in technical terms, but that lacked a little bit in the screenplay, it keeps your attention alive, but, in the end, it left me disappointed. Good film overall, but it certainly isn't 2001: A Space Odyssey or Solaris. 

After a quick lunch I went queueing to see The Art of Happiness (Italian animated film) by Alessandro Rak, of which I had read very good reviews. The standing ovation for the whole crew attending the screening does not need any explanation. It was emotional, great on all levels, modern, actual, and real, the music was original, the screenplay was at a high level, and the filmmaking has nothing to envy to non-animated films.

But the moment I was looking forward to was the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement ceremony prizing William Friedkin, a unique director, in my opinion, who really changed the logic of horror films, and please remember he did not only direct The Exorcist!!

The screening before the ceremony was the restoration of Sorcerer, one of his bests, but often forgotten, films. The emotion started very early once the director and his wife entered the room, and sat a few seats ahead of mine. I just think it is amazing to watch the artists who put heart and mind in a film rewatching themselves or their work.  The characters were so well constructed in this simple, but complex story of the human binomial: good and evil. 

I had never seen someone receiving such an important prize, plus it was Mr Friedkin’s Birthday and he couldn’t be happier.

Follow this link to read Friedkin's acceptance speech: 

http://artbookscinema.blogspot.it/2013/09/william-friedkin-golden-lion-for.html

Right after the ceremony I went out and waited in front of the red carpet to see who was about to come: I had the pleasure to see Mr Friedkin again, the Italian singer Edoardo Bennato, the actor Riccardo Scamarcio, the actress Francesca Cavallin, the Festival’s godmother and model Eva Riccobono, and the amazing Mia Wasikowska, protagonist of Tracks which I was going to see on the following day.