Poor Things wins Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival

The 80th Venice International Film Festival concluded on Saturday (Sep 9) night with a spectacular ceremony that saw the quirky comedy Poor Thingstake home the prestigious Golden Lion award. Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos accepted the honour on behalf of the film.

The Golden Lion Award is considered one of the most coveted prizes in the film industry and is known to kickstart the awards season, often highlighting favourites for the Oscars.

Poor Things is a black comedy that stars the talented Emma Stone as a sex-crazed re-animated corpse. Critics at the festival have hailed the film as an "instant classic." Stone, who did not attend the festival to show support for the Hollywood writers' strike, also played a pivotal role as a producer of the film. In his acceptance speech, Lanthimos commended Stone's dedication, stating, "This film is her, in front and behind the camera."

In addition to Poor Things, two other films at the Venice Film Festival caught people's attention. The filmsshone a spotlight on Europe's migration policies. Italian director Matteo Garrone's Io Capitano(Me Captain) won the Best Director award, while Seydou Sarr, the star of the film, received the award for Best Young Actor.

Io Capitanofollows the harrowing journey of two young boys from Dakar, Senegal, to the detention camps of Libya and then across the perilous Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

Agnieszka Holland's Green Borderclinched the Special Jury Prize, offering a poignant portrayal of Europe's migration crisis at the Poland-Belarus border.

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