Donnersmarck's 'Never Look Away' premieres at Venice Film Festival

Florian Henckel Donnersmarck's film 'Never Look Away' (original title: 'Opera senza autore') is in the official selection of the 2018 Venice Film Festival. Inspired by true events, the film spans three eras of German history through the life of artist Kurt Barnert, his love for Elisabeth, and his fraught relationship with his father-in-law, Professor Seeband, who disapproves of their marriage. Unbeknownst to them, their lives are connected by a terrible crime Seeband committed decades earlier. The director stated: 'It's a passionate love story, a film about art and history. We are very happy and grateful for the selection of Never Look Away in competition in Venice, a city to which I am very attached. As a young man I learned to love painting in this city and as an adult I shot many exciting scenes – The Tourist – I am happy to come to the Lido with my magnificent cast. Long live Venice!' The film will be released in Italian theaters on October 4 via 01 Distribution. Donnersmarck, known for his 2007 film 'The Lives of Others', presents a controlled, cold, and lucid narrative that observes without judgment, blending art, history, and family drama. The jury is presided over by Guillermo del Toro.