In 2009, Isabelle Huppert became one of the few women to chair the competition jury at the Cannes Film Festival. This year, she repeats the feat at the Venice Film Festival, where even fewer women have held this prestigious position.
“I am delighted, honoured and quite moved to be here,” the actress said during the introduction of the jurors. “I have a long history with the festival that goes back a long time. I have extraordinary memories. I am looking forward to meeting the other jurors and talking with them.”
The other jurors are James Gray, Andrew Haigh, Agnieska Holland, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Abderrahmane Sissako, Giuseppe Tornatorre, Julia von Heinz and Zhang Ziyi, who were all present in the conference room but did not speak.
“A jury, by definition, is subjective, and that’s what makes it beautiful,” believes the president of the official jury. “To choose is to renounce. What matters is that the films are there, that they are seen, because the important thing is to participate.”
During the press conference, the actress, who will be seen from December 20 in The Prisoner of Bordeauxby Patricia Mazuy, expressed her concern about the future of cinema. “Cinema has become fragile in recent years. Cinema is a singular, individual word that we address to the world. These words must exist for as long as possible. The Mostra is necessary for that.”
We women strong
PHOTO YARA NARDI, REUTERS
Sigourney Weaver Wins Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award
Later in the morning, actress Sigourney Weaver, warmly applauded as she entered the press room, had no choice but to address, once again, the issue of playing strong women.
“I play strong women? No, I play women and women are strong,” said the Golden Lion winner for her career. “I’m so lucky that I’m sent these stories that I want to be a part of. Why would I stop? It’s so exciting. I have two more Avatars to shoot after the third one. We suddenly realized that mature actresses can play other roles than mothers and grandmothers.”
While the question seems tiring, she beams when reminded that several women have told her they were inspired by the roles she has played and when it is suggested that she may have inspired women like Kamala Harris.
“To think that my roles have helped women like Kamala carve out a place for themselves in society gives me the greatest pleasure,” she says, revealing that she herself was inspired by the great roles played by Bette Davis in the 1930s and 1940s, by the grace of Ingrid Bergman, and by her parents… even if they never believed she would succeed in the profession.
Obviously, the press conference could not take place without Ripley’s name being mentioned in Alien (1979), by Ridley Scott: “My character Ripley was not a woman, but a person. Women can be whatever they want without having to play on their femininity.”
If she found fame thanks to this character, it was by starring in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), by Peter Weir, that she understood cinema better. “I’m not saying this because he’s also going to receive a Golden Lion for his entire career, but before working with Peter Weir, I was afraid that I would miss the theater because cinema was like a new world that I didn’t understand.”
Having dabbled in several genres, Sigourney Weaver says comedy is her favorite genre. However, one of the roles she is most proud of is playing Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist (1988), by Michael Apted. She is still affiliated with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “The film is still shown in schools. The foundation is important to save the gorillas and their food resources.”
Taking advantage of her presence in Venice, Sigourney Weaver declared her love for Italian cinema: “I fell in love with cinema thanks to the films of Antonioni and De Sica. Even today, this cinema seems like a distant planet to me. There should be a clause that by receiving a Golden Lion you can come to Italy as often as you want. I think we need Italian cinema, so I invite Italian filmmakers to continue working… and I remind you that I am available.”