Venezia 74: Italian Films Disappoint, Wiseman's NYPL Documentary Shines

At the sixth day of the 74th Venice International Film Festival, the death of Italian actor Gastone Moschin, last surviving star of Mario Monicelli's "Amici Miei," cast a pall over the event. Two standout films appeared: Frederik Wiseman's 197-minute documentary "Ex Libris: The New York Public Library" and Kore-Eda Hirokazu's legal drama "The Third Murder." Wiseman's film, the third American entry in competition, examines the NYPL as a democratic institution and cultural hub, featuring talks by writers, artists, and musicians, while also serving as a refuge for at-risk groups and the elderly. The film's rigorous style echoes the work of Andreas Gursky and Candida Höfer, and it is considered a strong candidate for the Golden Lion. Kore-Eda's film explores individual and collective guilt, questioning the death penalty. In contrast, Italian entries have underwhelmed: Paolo Virzì's film is described as "geriatric," and Sebastiano Riso's "Una Famiglia" (presented in Sala Darsena) is criticized as "gynecological" and implausible, with forced acting and Micaela Ramazzotti's styling evoking "We Children from Bahnhof Zoo." The film deals with surrogate motherhood and child trafficking in Italy but fails to achieve verisimilitude. The day closed with a restored 3D version of John Landis's "Thriller," based on Michael Jackson's idea, with digital enhancements to Rick Baker's effects.