Fremantle dazzled at the international film festival with a total of five productions celebrating their world premieres: Maria, Queer and April appeared in competition, while M. Son of the Century appeared out of competition, and Don't Cry, Butterfly was part of the Critics’ Week. Maria and Queer were particularly well-received by audiences, while April won the Special Jury Prize and Don't Cry, Butterfly won the Grand Prize and the Verona Film Club Award for Most Innovative Film.

“I’m a very deeply feeling person and kind of a raw nerve”

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Angelina Jolie – who stars in biographical film Maria – describes the process of depicting Maria Callas’ life story as very intense. “It requires your whole heart, body and mind, opera. And you can’t do it halfway,” explains Angelina, who took six months of singing and Italian classes to prepare herself for the role. “I’m making her pain personal to me,” she continues, discussing the parallels between her and Maria, and the trauma the opera singer experienced in her life and career.

Following this deeply personal experience, it is hardly surprising that Angelina Jolie cried during the eight-minute standing ovation that Maria received following its world premiere at Venice Film Festival on 29 August. The film was praised by critics: “magnificent" according to The Guardian, “witty and beautiful” according to the BBC, and “sure to be an Oscar contender” from Variety. Since its successful premiere, the film – which is produced by The Apartment Pictures and Fabula Productions and directed by Pablo Larraín – has secured sales in over 20 global territories, including Netflix in the US.

“Very funny, very romantic and very revolutionary in spirit”

In an interview with Variety, Luca Guadagnino, who also directed the award-winning Bones and All from The Apartment Pictures, discusses the process of adapting the film from the novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs. “The idea that this could become not only a great love story, but possibly the ultimate love story — and a very universal one — was irresistible,” explains Luca. Regarding Daniel Craig’s performance, Luca says “he is, honestly, one of the great actors of his generation: so subtle, so profound and yet so beautifully universal”.

Following a 12-minute standing ovation at Venice on 3 September, Queer has been praised by IndieWire as a “profound kaleidoscope of unrequited love, addiction, and ayahuasca.” Deadline describes the film as a “superb literary adaptation”, while The Hollywood Reporter praises Luca for his “triumphant return”. Similar to Angelina Jolie’s performance in Maria, Daniel Craig is also praised for his Oscar-worthy performance – according to Vogue, “it could get Daniel Caig closer to an Oscar than ever before.”

Three awards across two productions

At the closing award ceremony on Friday 6 September, writer and director Déa Kulumbegashvili took home the Special Jury Prize for her sophomore film April, which focuses on abortions in rural Georgia. Dương Diệu Linh, meanwhile, took home two awards at the Venice Critics’ Week for her directorial debut Don’t Cry, Butterfly. Set in the suburbs of Hanoi, the comedy drama has since been sold to Vietnamese distributor CJ CGV Vietnam.

Historical drama series M. Son of the Century, which will launch on Sky Italia next Spring, also appeared out of competition at Venice. In an interview with The Guardian, director Joe Wright explains “I want the audience to be seduced.”

Congratulations to all talents involved in these creative works!