‘We don’t question the CIA activity as much as we ought to’

RITA DI SANTO assesses the winners of the most politically charged festival to date

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THE Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival went to the only film in competition directed by a female film-maker: Danish-Egyptian director May el-Touchy’s Woman Unknown. This stylish portrayal of post-World War II Denmark centres on a maid whose past during the Nazi occupation threatens to unravel her future. The film raises significant questions about the condition of women in a bygone era, depicting a time when they were largely invisible and unseen.

A remarkable film, Woman Unknown is both elegant and engrossing. El-Touchy displays an impeccable understanding of storytelling, drama, and narrative, weaving together numerous unexpected turns. Leading actress Mathilde Arcel also won the Best Actress for her compelling portrayal of the maid.

John Malkovich won Best Actor for his performance in Wild Horse Nine, a dark comedy directed by Martin McDonagh. Set in 1973, just before the coup against Allende, the film follows two CIA agents dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island. Surrounded by the island’s giant stone statues, their mission becomes increasingly complicated.

The older agent, Chris, who has been diagnosed with cancer, harbours a troubling secret: he knows too much, including details about the assassination of Kennedy. His superior fears he might disclose sensitive information, especially as he begins to reveal plans for September 11 to two charming students. Malkovich shines as the absent-minded old man who seems to let vital information slip, while Rockwell perfectly embodies the friend trying to mitigate his outbursts.

McDonagh, who penned the screenplay, artfully critiques not only the misdeeds of the CIA but also the imperialist and racist spirit of America, employing abundant irony. At the press conference for Wild Horse Nine, McDonagh elaborated on his inherently political film.

“I like questioning what we are told we have to accept,” he stated. “I’ve been very interested in the truth of what the CIA has been doing over the last 60 years, and the awful things they’ve done all around the world. I think that’s something that’s not talked about enough. We know what the KGB is like, but we probably don’t question the CIA’s activity as much as we ought to.”

The Special Jury Prize went to Naza, one of the festival’s most anticipated films, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the co-directors behind the Oscar-winning film No Other Land. The film’s title, Naza, is an acronym used by the Israeli military to denote civilian casualties.

This gripping documentary features 24 interviews with Israeli intelligence members and soldiers, revealing chilling testimonies about plans to devastate Gaza following the events of October 7. The United Nations has described these actions, orchestrated by Benjamin Netanyahu, as genocidal.

The interviews, filmed at night on rooftops, feature altered faces and voices to protect the anonymity of the interviewees. Abraham listens intently, posing questions as reflections of life in Tel Aviv flicker in the distant windows of nearby buildings. Televisions broadcast propaganda images of Netanyahu. Below, the city hums with bustling cafes and traffic flowing along the seafront.

The coldness of these testimonies is shocking, informative, and emotionally gripping, leaving the audience in profound silence about our shared complicity. It speaks to our collective responsibility. Naza is a film that will linger in your thoughts long after viewing. One of the most important films of our time.

Best Director went to Russian film-maker Ilya Khrzhanovsky for Dau. Inspired by the Soviet physicists who developed the atomic bomb, it chronicles decades of life within a high-security research institute. The narrative focuses on Dau, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Lev Landau, who is coerced by the KGB into developing nuclear weapons. Blending realism with a surreal atmosphere, Khrzhanovsky demonstrates a distinctive ability to ground his camera in bleakness while creating a deeply surreal, dreamlike visual rhythm.

Among the other awards, Best Screenplay went to Stephane Brize for A Good Little Soldier. This sharp, modern, dark comedy effectively captures the relatable burnout and code-switching experienced by individuals navigating the pressures of corporate demands and personal life. Brize excels at eliciting authentic performances from his cast, transforming a quiet, slow-burn drama into a captivating character study of the dark dynamics within large corporations.

Venice tackled global politics this year, addressing issues from Murdoch to Musk, the CIA to the KGB, and conflicts in Chile to Gaza. This edition of the festival stands as its most politically charged to date.

Last year, Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab made waves. During Naza’s premiere in the Sala Grande, the Palestinian flag was prominently displayed, and the film received a remarkable 24-minute standing ovation. Earlier in the festival, Susan Sarandon, at the press conference for Andrea Pallaoro’s beautiful film The Echo Chamber, expressed her support for Palestine, revealing that she continues to lose roles for speaking out about Gaza.

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