Laura Poitras' "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" has secured the Golden Lion of the Venice Film Festival 2022 as the movie extravaganza wrapped up on Saturday in the Italian city.
The documentary on photographer Nan Goldin has appeared to be a surprise winner for many, as documentaries rarely secure the highest award in Venice. The movie follows Goldin as she struggles to hold Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family-owned company, accountable for the opioid epidemic in the US.
In her acceptance speech, Poitras thanked the film festival for recognizing that "documentary is cinema".
The Silver Lion award went to French courtroom drama "Saint Omer" by director Alice Diop, who has marked her debut in fiction after directing several documentaries.
Meanwhile, the award for best actor went to Colin Farrell for his performance in “The Banshees Of Inisherin”, with the movie also securing an award for best screenplay. Cate Blanchett took home the prize for best actress following her part in "Tár". Best director award went to the Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and his controversial cannibal thriller "Bones and All". A movie by the Iranian director Jafar Panahi "No Bears" received the Special Jury prize.