Gus Van Sant to Receive Venice Fest's Passion for Film Award
The honor recognizes film professionals whose creative work 'reflects a deep and enduring passion for cinema.' Unlike a lifetime achievement award, the Campari Passion for Film Award celebrates artistic vision and the drive to leave a lasting imprint on cinematic storytelling.
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Van Sant will receive the honor in Venice on Sept. 2, ahead of the out-of-competition world premiere of his new film, Dead Man's Wire. The based-on-a-true-story thriller stars Bill Skarsgard, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Cary Elwes, Myha'la and Al Pacino.
'I'm truly honored to receive the Passion for Film award,' Van Sant said in a statement. 'My heartfelt thanks to Campari for this recognition — it means a great deal to me. I'm grateful not only for their acknowledgement of my work, but also for their support of one of the world's great institutions of cinema celebration and exhibition. It's a privilege to be part of this tradition, and I deeply appreciate the passion they bring to film.'
Venice film festival artistic director Alberto Barbera described Van Sant as 'a unique filmmaker in the landscape of contemporary cinema,' noting his ability to shift between mainstream and art house filmmaking while maintaining a singular creative identity. 'He has made films that have left a lasting mark on the collective imagination,' Barbera said, citing Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant, and Milk. 'A discoverer of talent, he has launched actors such as River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.'
An iconic figure in American independent cinema since the 1980s, Van Sant has alternated between minimalist and experimental cinema and more mainstream fare, but always with a focus on characters on the margins of society, struggling with addiction, trauma or alienation. After his debut Mala Noche, he gained international attention with Drugstore Cowboy, and secured his critical reputation with My Own Private Idaho, which competed in Venice in 1991.
His 1997 feature Good Will Hunting, which made stars out of both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, picked up nine Oscar nominations and won two. His 2008 biopic Milk earned eight Oscar nominations, including wins for actor Sean Penn and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
His more experimental feature Elephant (2003), a languid look at a school shooting, made in response to the Columbine massacre, won the Palme d'Or for best film and best director honors at Cannes.
Dead Man's Wire recounts the 1977 hostage standoff by Anthony G. 'Tony' Kiritsis, a former real estate developer who wired a shotgun to his neck in a confrontation with a mortgage banker.
Previous winners of Venice's passion for film honor include editor Bob Murawski, cinematographer Luca Bigazzi, composer Terence Blanchard, and production designers Tonino Zera and Paola Comencini.
The 82nd Venice film festival runs Aug. 27 to Sept. 9.
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