Venice Jury Defends Choice: Jarmusch Wins Over Gaza Drama

Venice Film Festival jury president Alexander Payne addressed criticism following the decision to award the Golden Lion to Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother instead of Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab.

Ben Hania’s film, which received a prolonged standing ovation at its premiere, won the festival’s second-highest honor, the grand jury prize.

Speaking at a press conference after the ceremony, Payne acknowledged the difficulty of choosing between two acclaimed works. “That’s the unfair thing of being at a festival, is having to say this is better than that. It’s not,” he said.

“As a jury, we treasure both of those films equally, each for its own reason. We hope the recognition we have given them will help both in their own way.”

Payne added that the outcome might have been different had the jury voted on another day.

The jury this year included Fernanda Torres, Mohammad Rasoulof, Cristian Mungiu, Stéphane Brizé, Maura Delpero and Zhao Tao.

Responding to online rumors that one juror had threatened to resign over the results, Payne dismissed the speculation: “Did someone threaten to quit? No. I think we know not to believe everything we read online.”