Joker Wins Golden Lion at 76th Venice Film Festival

Todd Phillips' Joker won the Golden Lion for best film at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, surprising many after a contentious edition marked by jury president Lucrezia Martel's strong statements on Roman Polanski. The festival opened with Hirokazu Kore-eda's The Truth and closed with Giuseppe Capotondi's The Burnt Orange Heresy. Luca Marinelli won the Volpi Cup for best actor for Martin Eden, while Ariane Ascaride won best actress for Gloria Mundi. The Grand Jury Prize went to Roman Polanski's J'accuse, sparking debate given Polanski's controversial history. Martel defended the jury's decision, stating they focused on the film's quality. The Special Jury Prize was awarded to Franco Maresco's La mafia non è più quella di una volta. Roy Andersson won the Silver Lion for best director for About Endlessness. The festival also highlighted Italian cinema, with Marinelli dedicating his award to migrants at sea. Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, is expected to be a strong Oscar contender, alongside Netflix titles Marriage Story and The Laundromat. The 76th edition was the penultimate under artistic director Alberto Barbera.