La Biennale di Venezia - Cinema
#Venezia 78
78th Venice International Film Festival
The 78th Venice International
Film Festival is organised by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by
Alberto Barbera. It took place at the Lido di Venezia in early September. The aim of the Festival is to
raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as
art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and
dialogue. The Festival also organises retrospectives and tributes to
major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the
history of cinema. Contessanally will be posting some of her favorite films, not to be missed, over the next few weeks.
Photo El Deseo - courtesy - La Biennale di Venezia
Madres Paralelas - Parallel Mothers
Pedro Almodovar
Two women coincide in a hospital room where they are about to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident. Janis, middle-aged, doesn't regret it and is exultant. The other, Ana, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatised. Janis tries to encourage her while they move like sleepwalkers along hospital corridors. The few words the exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and becomes complicated, changing their lives in a decisive way.
Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit
"Madres paralelas talks about ancestors and descendants, about the truth of the historical past and the most intimate truth of the characters. It talks about identity and maternal passion through three very different mothers....It’s the imperfections of these mothers, very different from those who have appeared in my filmography to date, that attract me most as a narrator. This is the most difficult character that Penelope Cruz has ever played, and probably the most painful.
The result is splendid. At her side, the young Milena Smit
becomes the great revelation of the film."
Pedro Almodovar
Director's Statement
Pedro Aldomovar with cast from Madres Paralelas
Main Cast
Penelope Cruz, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Julieta Serrano, Rossy De Palma
 Penelope Cruz  courtesy La Biennale di Venezia Orizzonti Les Promesses - The Promises Thomas Kruithof Clemence, the fearless mayor of a town near Paris, is completing the final term of her political career. With her faithful right-hand man Yazid, she has long fought for this town plagued by poverty, unemployment and slumlords. However, when Clemence is approached to become Minister, her ambition arises, questioning her devotion and commitment to her citizens. Will her political integrity and election promises survive her newly found ambition? Isabelle Huppert "A few years ago, after a French election, I began thinking about this story. I wanted to make a film questioning the possibility of political courage. Fortunately, once Jean-Baptiste Delafon and I started writing, something more nuanced and less theoretical quickly started to emerge… Promises are the currency of politics. Whether materialised by a position, a subsidy, an alliance… promises are what the protagonists trade throughout the film." Thomas Kruithof Director's Statement Main Cast
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