American actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal will head the jury of the Venice Film Festival, organisers announced on Thursday, placing her at the helm of one of cinema’s most prestigious panels.
Gyllenhaal and her fellow jurors will be responsible for selecting the winner of the Golden Lion for Best Film, the festival’s top honour, during the event, which is scheduled to take place in September on the Lido di Venezia.
Gyllenhaal, 48, made her directorial debut with an adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel *The Lost Daughter*. The film was widely praised by critics and audiences alike, earning her the Best Screenplay award at the 2021 edition of the festival and establishing her as a distinctive new voice behind the camera.
In a statement, Gyllenhaal said she was “thrilled to accept the invitation to lead this year’s Venice Film Festival jury,” calling the role both meaningful and exciting at this stage of her career.
“Venice has always supported truthful, singular voices and I am honored to play a part in continuing that brave and necessary tradition,” she added, highlighting the festival’s long-standing commitment to artistic risk-taking.
Festival director Alberto Barbera praised her as “an actress capable of giving voice to challenging and multifaceted characters” and “an original filmmaker with a clear and confident vision.”
“Having her lead our jury means we can count on an authoritative and independent voice,” he said, noting her experience across both acting and directing.
The Venice Film Festival, widely regarded as the oldest film festival in the world, is held annually as part of the Venice Biennale, a renowned series of arts events that attracts global attention.
The Biennale has recently faced criticism for allowing Russia to participate in this year’s exhibition, marking the country’s return since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Russia’s inclusion “morally wrong” in a statement released earlier this week, reiterating the European Union’s intention to withdraw funding from the festival and urging cultural institutions to take a firmer stance.
“While Russia bombs museums, destroys churches and seeks to erase Ukrainian culture, it should not be allowed to exhibit its own,” she said.— AFP
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