VENICE, Italy – Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother has been awarded the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 79th Venice Film Festival, marking a surprise win for the American director’s triptych exploring familial relationships. The comedy, starring Adam Driver and Cate Blanchett, was considered a strong contender but ultimately surpassed expectations against a field that included critically lauded films like The Voice of Hind Rajab.
The award recognizes Jarmusch’s continued influence in autonomous cinema and signals a return to form for the director of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and Broken Flowers.Father Mother Sister Brother, filmed across the United States, ireland, and France, offers a nuanced portrayal of adult children navigating their connections with their parents. The win elevates Jarmusch’s profile and is expected to generate significant buzz ahead of the film’s wider release.
The Silver Lion for Best Director went to Kaouther Ben Hania for The Voice of Hind Rajab, a harrowing documentary detailing the final phone call of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab during an Israeli army attack in Gaza. Ben Hania dedicated the award to the Palestinian Red Crescent and called for an end to the conflict.
