What a difference a year makes at the Venice Film Festival. As Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother” claims 2025’s Golden Lion, it’s hard not to recall last year’s festival — when the Lido transformed into something closer to a Hollywood tabloid circus than a celebration of cinema.
Jarmusch’s latest masterwork, featuring Cate Blanchett in what might be her most nuanced performance yet, weaves together three distinct narratives across different continents. The film’s triumph marks a refreshing return to form for both the director and the festival itself. Gone are the social media storms and conspiracy theories that dominated last year’s headlines — replaced by thoughtful discussions about cinematography and narrative innovation.
Speaking of storms — who could forget the “Don’t Worry Darling” saga? The film’s premiere became less about Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller and more about an increasingly bizarre series of events that felt like they’d been scripted by a particularly imaginative gossip columnist.
There was the now-legendary “spit-gate” incident (did Harry Styles really aim saliva at Chris Pine’s lap during the premiere? Pine’s team certainly didn’t think so). Then came Florence Pugh’s fashionably late arrival, Aperol Spritz in hand, dressed in show-stopping purple — a moment that spoke volumes about reported behind-the-scenes tensions.
Harry Styles, bless him, provided some of the most memorable press conference quotes in recent memory. His earnest observation that the movie “feels like a movie” somehow managed to be both endearing and slightly baffling — rather like watching a puppy discover its own reflection.
This year’s ceremony has thankfully steered clear of such theatrics. Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab” earned the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, while Benny Safdie’s direction of “Smashing Machine” secured him the Silver Lion. These victories remind us what Venice does best: celebrating bold, innovative filmmaking that pushes boundaries without requiring social media investigations.
Chris Pine perhaps summed up last year’s chaos best when he noted that if there was drama, he “absolutely didn’t know about it, nor really would have cared.” His measured response feels particularly poignant now, as Venice reclaims its identity as cinema’s most prestigious showcase.
The success of “Father Mother Sister Brother” serves as a fitting bookend to this tale of two festivals. While last year’s drama proved irresistibly entertaining, there’s something deeply satisfying about watching Venice return to its roots — even if part of us might miss the memes.
After all, isn’t that the magic of cinema? Sometimes it’s the carefully crafted narrative that moves us, and sometimes it’s the unexpected drama that unfolds when the cameras stop rolling. Venice, it seems, has room for both — though perhaps not in the same year.
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