Among the honored guests shone George and Amal Clooney, Laura Dern, Jonathan Bailey, Claire Foy, Guy Pearce, Jack O’Connell, Nina Dobrev, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Chase Sui Wonders, Brittany Snow, Nicholas Galitzine, Bianca Balti, Werner Herzog, Damian Hardung, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Kendall Jenner.
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Prestigious Award for George Clooney
One of the most important highlights of the opening evening was the presentation on Wednesday, September 2, of the prestigious festival “Golden Lion” lifetime achievement award to 65-year-old actor and director George Clooney. The honorable award was presented to him by co-star from the film “Jay Kelly,” Laura Dern.
Receiving the statuette, the Oscar winner did not lack his characteristic sense of humor.
“When you are told that you will receive a lifetime achievement award, only two things come to mind. First – ‘what an incredible honor.’ And then – ‘do they know something I don’t? Have you talked to my doctors?'” Clooney joked to the audience.
During the ceremony, the actor also received a witty greeting from his friend and colleague from the “Ocean’s” film series, Brad Pitt. In the message read out, Pitt said that Clooney “can do almost anything, perform, achieve, or compete better than any of us, but please – don’t let him dance, because he is really a bad dancer.”
Love Confession to Wife and Children
In his speech, Clooney paid special attention to his 48-year-old wife Amal, whom he married in Italy in 2014.
“I am grateful for the friendships I have made throughout my life. I lack words to describe how deeply I love my wife. What a great pride she is to me,” the actor spoke emotionally.
The couple is raising nine-year-old twins Ella and Alexander. The actor joked that he is proud of at least one of them, and later added: “By the way, my two kids are the only two people in the world who thought I acted well in ‘Batman.'”
Serious Message about Freedom of Speech and Empathy
Finally, Clooney’s speech took a much more serious turn – he took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of art and freedom of speech in today’s world.
“We live in a time when those in power, who have the most money, tell us that we should fear each other. But we know better, don’t we? Because history teaches us,” he said.
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The actor emphasized that authoritarians first try to silence not politicians, but journalists who ask questions and artists who refuse simple answers.
“Those who fear books, music, and stories have never been heroes of history. Yes, movies do not stop wars, reduce inflation, or fix elections, but they remind us that a stranger is never just a stranger – he can be a hero in someone else’s story.”
Clooney ended his acceptance speech hopefully, stating that through love, determination, and respect, society can remain healthy even in the most difficult situations.
Future Plans and Festival Program
At a press conference, Clooney revealed that he plans to focus more on acting rather than directing in the near future. When asked how he would celebrate the award, he smiled and replied: “My wife and I will go out to dinner somewhere fun. She will wear a very beautiful dress, so we will have to choose carefully where we go.”
Over the next 11 days, the festival will be full of both the glamour of the film world and serious topics.
Stars such as Robert Pattinson and brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher from the band Oasis will also walk the red carpet.
Director Danny Boyle will present his film “Ink” about how Rupert Murdoch acquired the British tabloid “The Sun” in 1969.
This year’s festival pays special attention to world events. The program includes many documentaries about the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Elon Musk, the war in Ukraine featuring exiled Russian journalists “My Undesirable Friends — Part II: Exile,” as well as works by Palestinian creators and films about the activities of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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