67th Venice International Film Festival - Day 1

Believe it or not today it's a very busy at La Mostra, take a look at all the events that will take place in the inaugural day.

Opening Ceremony by Invitation Only - Nope wouldn't be able to watch, but will check it later when they upload to their Youtube channel.

Opening Film: Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky, some American critics are daring to say could win the top award, lol so early and predicting already a winner? Must be seen for me.

Out of Competition
Jingwu Fengyun Chen Zhen (Legent of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen) by Andrew Lau, is the opening night of Bruce Lee's Tribute
Machete by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis - will watch, eventually
Vittorio Racconta Gassman - Una Vita da Mattatore, Giancarlo Scarchilli, Italy (documentary) (I'm interested) Yes, there will a tribute to Vittorio Gassman.

Retrospective
Compagni di Scuola, Carlo Verdone, Italy, 1988
Imputato, Alzatevi, Mario Maroti, 1939
13 Short Films from the section La Situazione Comica, all are Silent Films from 1910 up to 1915.

Venice Days
Opening Film: Le Bruit des Glacons (The Clink of Ice), Bertrand Blier
The Happy Poet by Paul Gordon
The Accordion by Jafar Panahi, Iran - short film

So, that's what's happening in the first "short" day that actually starts at 3:30pm with the Venice Days opening short and film.

Some news

-The godmother of the 67th Biennale opening and closing ceremonies is Isabella Ragonese know as the winner of the 2010 Nastro d'Argento for her performance in Daniele Luchetti's La Nostra Vita. Her brief career started with her first film Nuovomondo (Golden Door) by Emanuele Crialese and went to win some important New Artist of the Year awards. No, never paid attention to this young actress but think I will from now on.

-This morning the Jury had it's first press conference and seems that Quentin Tarrantino said many things (!). Can't translate right now, but here is what he said in Italian.

"Quando penso al cinema italiano mi viene in mente il termine passione", cosi' Quentin Tarantino, presidente di giuria alla 67ma Mostra del Cinema di Venezia, rimedia a un commento sulla nostra cinematografia di qualche tempo fa, quando aveva dichiarato che faceva tutto schifo. "in realta' - sottolinea - sono stato citato male". Quanto all'esperienza da giurato il regista di 'Pulp Fiction' afferma: "Mi piace molto questo ruolo perche' permette a un'artista di crescere, di diventare piu' forte. Adoro mettermi a tavolino da solo per vedere film e poi magari scrivere una critica per me stesso, non per pubblicarla". "Questa selezione - aggiunge - propone lavori provenienti da tutto il mondo", ci sara' sbizzarrirsi. Anche se ci sono molti amici di Tarantino in concorso il cineasta premio Oscar promette di essere imparziale, "Se mi piace un film lo sosterro' fino in fondo, cosi' come se mi piacera' un film realizzato da un amico". Anche il nostro Gabriele Salvatores condivide la passione di Quentin, "giudicare i film e' come entrare nel sogno di qualcun altro, fa bene al tuo ego - dichiara - mi piacerebbe che un film italiano vincesse qualche premio, ma dobbiamo farci trasportare dalla passione senza considerare la nazionalita'". Quanto al cinema italiano presente in selezione Salvatores dice: "Questa Mostra offre un ampio panorama, da autori all'opera prima a cineasti ben conosciuti, da quando faccio questo mestiere si parla di crisi del nostro cinema, penso che oggi stiamo producendo ottimi prodotti".

-I keep forgetting that this is the oldest film festival in the world, so better remind you too.

Not so Serious News

-If is real or just gossip it doesn't really matter but I'm really glad that fest organizers said NO to a George Clooney film. It's been said that 'someone' requested The American to be the opening film, but as we know -and I believe it was a wise choice- Aronofsky's film opens the fest and also, is in competition.

-If you wish to read Black Swan critics browse the net you'll find them. The press screening already happened as well as the press conference. Photo is from the press conference. If you understand Italian check some press conference highlights here.

-Some international movie critics are complaining because Venice is very expensive (lol!); they say that one week working in Venice is like two weeks working in Toronto! I believe is their frustration to the world recession and media cutting back costs, as when before media sent up to 10 people, today they're sending about 3. Ah! the data is for ONE festival per year and you guessed right if you said that the coverage will be for Cannes. So the #2 fest, being Venice, Toronto, Rotterdam, Berlin or whoever you think could be #2, gets less and less international coverage, leaving the ground open to local news. Just learned that La Mostra pays for all expenses of those critics they want to attend! Business, business, that's the darkest side of any film fest -at least for me.

-This year Mostra is the one before the last that Marco Mueller will preside as he wants to go back to produce films and he will after the 2011 Biennale. Some critics are calling this year selection "bold" or the boldest that Mueller has done up-to-date. Mueller says "This is the edition that most reflects [the tastes of] my selection committee and myself" ... "we love filmmakers who still respect a contract with the audience, who will entertain them with spectacle, but when you walk out of that film you will be changed". Well, if those two particular comments means that he had to do "bold" choices, then bold has to be good.

Not Serious News

-The fest's customary lavish opening-night bash on the Excelsior beach is being replaced by a smaller party in the hotel's Sala degli Stucchi and Terrazza dei Fiori. "It's not going to be a pompous opening -- it's going to be no-frills and back to basics. It's going to be about what we love: cinematic riches," said Mueller.

-Italian Vanity Fair (or Uomo Vogue?)hosted a party on the Grand Canal for Quentin Tarantino. So? No interesting pics yet.

Have to stop here, but if have some extra time after the movers are gone, will continue the post as haven't been able to check everything I got for you.

Cheers!