Thread by @FilmFan1971

Doing three film festivals back to back (Edinburgh, FrightFest, Venice) was either a brilliant idea or a terrible idea. History does not yet relate which.

At least when I get back, I’ll have nine whole days before the LFF screenings start.

Travel is so *weird*. Last night: fun at the Phoenix for the closing night of FrightFest. Tonight: this.

Took a midnight stroll around San Marco. Let’s just say I’m glad I didn’t rewatch Don’t Look Now before I came here. #Venice

The last time I was in Venice (Inter-Railing in 1990), me and @ChrisWa78969192 slept under a bush across the water and woke up to a glorious view of San Marco. My mission this Venice trip is to see if that bush still exists. #Venice

Boatbus. #boatbus #Venice

So, the first question, that creature flying around the screen – was that some sort of bat? #Venice #WhiteNoise #BAT 🦇

Just caught up with My Good Friend Raffey Cassidy, who turns out to be in White Noise. #Venice

Spotted a crowd of people. Wandered over and this was happening. #Venice #WhiteNoise

And this. #Venice #WhiteNoise

And this. #Venice #WhiteNoise

Best bit was seeing them all arrive by boat. #Venice

Then randomly met Lino Musella, co-star of Roberto De Paolis’ Princess. Was surrounded by press people but no-one else recognised him, because they hadn’t seen the film I’d just come out of. #Venice

Tessa Thompson just smiled at me on the stairs on the way up to the press room, so I think my Venice might have peaked. #Venice

Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver, Noah Baumbach, Don Cheadle and Jodie Turner-Smith at the Venice press conference for White Noise. #Venice #WhiteNoise

Would love to know why My Good Friend Raffey Cassidy isn’t at this press conference, given that she’s definitely in the building and was the first to arrive (and is doing junkets tomorrow). #Venice

First film this morning was Baumbach’s White Noise, which is apparently EMBARGOED until 7pm or so. Missed the first few minutes due to learning VALUABLE LESSONS about the Vaporetto. #Venice #WhiteNoise

Next up was Roberto De Paolis’ Princess, which I’m pretty sure is also EMBARGOED (confirmation needed). #Venice #Princess

I will say this though, my hat is off to Princess’ fox wrangler. That was some A+ fox wrangling. #Princess #Venice #foxwrangling 🦊

Next up was Living, Oliver Hermanus’ 1953-set British adaptation of Kurosawa’s Ikiru. Gorgeous production design, and maybe Bill Nighy’s best performance to date. Does justice to the original film, which is maybe the highest possible praise. #Venice #Living

Living screened in the new Sala Corinto, which I think I’m right in saying has been specially built for the festival, like they do at the #LFF with the Embankment Cinema. Have to say, exceptional air conditioning in both screens so far. #Venice

Next up was Todd Fields Tar, starring Cate Blanchett and an international dream cast that included both Noémie Merlant *and* Nina Hoss. Film is EMBARGOED, so more tomorrow. No bats in the screen this time - good work, Venice’s bat-catcher. #Venice #Venezia79

Vaporetto queue this morning. #Venice #Venezia79

#BusBoat #Venice #Venezia79

First up at #Venice this morning: Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Bardo.

Absolutely *loving* how many #Venice films will be playing at the #LFF. Already looking forward to those lie-ins.

*Loved* The Origin of Evil (L'origine du mal), a twist-filled thriller with yet another fabulous performance from Laure Calamy. She’s having quite the year. #Venice #Venezia79

Tar embargo has lifted. It’s *fantastic*. Uncut Gems levels of tension, with a career-best performance from Cate Blanchett. Currently my favourite film of the festival and if I see any films that are better than Tar and Living, it will be one hell of a #Venice. #Venezia79

Also, if Blanchett doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for Tar, there is officially no justice. Opens early next year in the UK, i.e. at the height of awards season. #Tar #Venice #Venezia79

Here’s the teaser trailer, quite a bit of which isn’t actually in the movie. #Tar #Venice #Venezia79

Next up was Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy, an engaging doc on -yes!-Midnight Cowboy. Does a great job of contextualising the film and it has some nice behind the scenes footage, but it could have done with a bit more Hoffman. #Venice #Venezia79

View from the #Venice press room. #venezia79

Next up was Frederick Wiseman’s A Couple, which was not, as I mistakenly assumed, a documentary about a couple, but instead about Sophie Tolstoy’s letters to Tolstoy. #Venice #Venezia79

I will say this, given that there are multiple films here that are three hours plus, it’s kind of remarkable that Wiseman’s isn’t one of them. It’s only 65 minutes! #Venice #Venezia79

Next up: A Compassionate Spy. Fascinating doc about Ted Hall, who worked on the Alamo Project and decided to leak secrets of the atomic bomb to the Soviets in the interests of parity. Story told through extensive, moving interviews with Hall and his wife, Joan. #Venice

It’s been quite a while since I studied history (33 years, if we’re counting), but there was a casually mentioned fact in the film that made my jaw drop. cc @preachypeach #Venice

Found a Pizza Hutte. #Venice

#BoatBus #Venice

First film today was Bones and All, which is, of course, EMBARGOED. I went into this completely cold, knowing only that Guadagnino directed it and Chalamet was in it, and I highly recommend doing that, if you can. #Venice #Venezia79

Today’s second film: Athena. Also EMBARGOED. #Venice #Venezia79

Currently waiting for Timmy’s boat. #Venice #BonesAndAll #TimmysBoat

Five seconds of Timothée Chalamet going up some stairs at #Venice79, earlier. @la_Biennale #TimothéeChalamet #Timmeh

#TIMMEH

Alternate titles for Bones And All:

- Fine Young Cannibals
- Happy Eaters

May not be able to prove ownership on the first one, but at least I had the satisfaction of getting them both in the group chat first. #spoilerlols