Forty-two years after their artistic collaboration in “The Year of Living Dangerously”, the visionary talent of Peter Weir and the powerful acting talent of Sigourney Weaver meet again this year at the Lido, both as Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement at the 81st Venice Film Festival.
Two years after Master Gardener by Paul Schrader, Sigourney Weaver returns to the Lido to receive — on Wednesday, August 28th, the opening day — the first of the two Golden Lions at this 81st Venice Film Festival. Born Susan Alexandra Weaver in New York in 1949, Weaver has become a cinema icon thanks to her versatility and her ability to portray complex and memorable characters. After a few minor roles, her career takes off in 1979 with Ridley Scott’s Alien, where she plays Ellen Ripley, a strong and determined scientist and space officer. The role cemented her status as one of the first female action heroines in cinema, challenging gender stereotypes. “One of the real pleasures of Alien is watching a star like Sigourney Weaver,” wrote Ty Burr of the Boston Globe. She reprised the role of Ripley seven years later, in 1986, in James Cameron’s Aliens, which earned her nominations for the Oscars and Golden Globes for Best Actress, and again in 1992, in David Fincher’s Alien 3. She also co-produced the 1997 sequel by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Alien: Resurrection. Weaver has traversed the history of cinema in recent decades with her beauty beyond any established standard and her natural ability to infuse each role with distinctive traits of pure originality and intensity, ultimately also showing her ability to take on lighter roles with self-irony. From Ghostbusters to Gorillas in the Mist, from Working Girl to The Village, from Death and the Maiden to Avatar, Sigourney Weaver has appeared in over 60 films, directed by some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Woody Allen, Ridley Scott, Roman Polanski, James Cameron, David Fincher, and Peter Weir, who, like her, will receive this year’s prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
In April 1805, off the coast of Brazil, His Majesty’s ship Surprise is attacked and severely damaged by the American frigate Norfolk. When faced with the decision of whether to return to port for repairs and to tend to the wounded or to pursue the enemy, Captain Jack Aub...
Known for his ability to create dreamlike and surreal atmospheres, often set in remote and wild locations, Peter Weir (Sydney, 1944) boasts a filmography that spans from historical dramas to psychological thrillers, characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a deep sensitivity to his characters. Weir began his journey into the world of cinema in the 1970s, a golden era for Australian cinema, where he emerged as a leading figure of the so-called Australian New Wave. His first international success, Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), is an enigmatic thriller that reveals his unique talent for creating evocative and unsettling atmospheres. In 1985, with Witness, Weir made his entry into Hollywood, directing Harrison Ford, but it was Dead Poets Society (1989), starring Robin Williams and a young Ethan Hawke, that definitively established him in the pantheon of the most well-known and beloved directors of our time. Then came the masterpiece. With The Truman Show in 1998, on the brink of the new millennium, Weir anticipated highly relevant themes such as surveillance and virtual reality, telling the story of a man whose life turns out to be one giant reality show. The film, which earned Jim Carrey a Golden Globe, is considered one of the most prophetic and influential of recent decades. Now, we await him at the Lido for the prestigious and well-deserved Golden Lion, which will be presented to him on Monday, September 2nd. On this occasion, his Master & Commander (2003) will be screened in the Sala Grande, a compelling portrayal of life at sea and the dynamics of command and friendship among the crew, with Russell Crowe in the lead role.
