Venice Film Festival
2009
STEPHEN LAN AT THE VENICE BIENNALE (Sep. 1-8 only)
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International press only
LOURDES
Directed by Jessica Hausner
(Austria/France/Germany, 99 min., world premiere, In Competition)
Christine has been confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. In order to escape her isolation, she makes a journey to Lourdes, the iconic site of pilgrimage in the Pyrenees mountains. She wakes up one morning seemingly cured by a miracle. The leader of the pilgrimage group, a handsome 40-year-old volunteer from the Order of Malta, begins to take an interest in her. She tries to hold on to this newfound chance for happiness, while her cure provokes envy and admiration.
Screening Info:
- P&I: Thurs. Sep. 3, 19:00, Sala Darsena
- P&I (daily press only): Thurs. Sep. 3, 22:00, Sala Perla
- Official premiere: Fri. Sep. 4, 17:00, Sala Grande
- Repeat screening: Sat. Sep. 5, 13:30, Palabiennale
Talent Attending:
- Director Jessica Hausner
- Actress Sylvie Testud
- Actor Bruno Todeschini
International press only
TETSUO: THE BULLET MAN
Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto
(Japan, 79 min., world premiere, In Competition)
Calm office worker Anthony, son of an American father and a Japanese mother, lives in Tokyo with his wife Yuriko and their little son Tom. Since Anthony’s mother died of cancer, his scientist father has been overly fearful for their health and rigidly subjects Anthony and Tom to monthly physicals.
Walking home, Tom is killed in a hit and run before Anthony’s eyes. Losing their boy pushes Yuriko over the edge and triggers violent emotions in Anthony, whose body begins to transform. Little by little, his cells turn into iron. When the driver who killed Tom reappears and Anthony learns the truth about his father’s past experiments on human guinea pigs and about his mother’s death, Anthony mutates into a mass of metal – a human weapon fuelled by an uncontrollable rage.
Screening Info:
- P&I: Fri. Sep. 4, 14:00, Sala Darsena
- P&I: Sat. Sep. 5, 17:00, Sala Perla
- Official premiere: Sat. Sep. 5, 11:59, Sala Grande
Talent Attending:
- Director Shinya Tsukamoto
International press only
WOMEN WITHOUT MEN
Directed by Shirin Neshat
(Germany/Austria/France, 96 min., world premiere, In Competition)
Against the tumultuous backdrop of Iran’s 1953 CIA-backed coup d’état, the destinies of four women converge in a beautiful orchard garden, where they find independence, solace and companionship. Acclaimed video artist Shirin Neshat makes her directorial debut with this incisive and sumptuously filmed reflection on the pivotal moment in history that directly led to the Islamic revolution and the Iran we know today.
Screening Info:
- P&I: Tues. Sep. 8, 19:00, Sala Darsena
- P&I (daily press only): Tues. Sep. 8, 22:00, Sala Perla
- Official premiere: Wed. Sep. 9, 17:00, Sala Grande
Talent Attending:
- Director Shirin Neshat
- Author Shahrnush Parsipur