Venice Film Festival Begins On High Note
La Grazia, the film by Italian filmmaker, Paolo Sorrentino, about an Italian president in the last months of his term, opened the 2025 Venice Film Festival 2025 last week Wednesday in Italy. Starring Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti, who both appeared on the opening light red carpet, Sorrentino who directed the film from his own screenplay in his first film on the Lido since his 2021 Grand Jury Prize winner, The Hand of God, drew huge applause first after the press screening and later as the opening film. In La Grazia, Servillo plays Italian President Mariano DeSantis, an elderly man now in the sunset of his career and in the final six months of his last term. Before he goes, he faces some deep moral decisions including two potential pardons and the question of signing a bill legalising euthanasia. The screening of La Grazia was preceded by a ceremony where Werner Herzog was awarded with a Lifetime Achievement Golden Lion. Herzog was introduced by another Hollywood great, Francis Ford Coppola. Italian rapper Gue, Milvia Marigliano, who plays the president’s explosive friend in La Grazia, actor and producer Pierfrancesco Favino, Venice jurors Maura Delpero and Fernanda Torres, American stars Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver and Tom Waits, who appear together in the film Father Mother Sister Brother by Jim Jarmusch and the host of the opening ceremony Emanuela Fanelli, all graced the Venice filmfest opening ceremony. La Grazia is a Fremantle film produced by The Apartment, Numero 10 and PiperFilm, which will distribute in Italy

Idris Eba To Be Honoured At TIFF 50
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced its final group of honourees for the 2025 Tribute Awards, with British-Sierra Leonean actor Idris Elba among the recipients. The awards, regarded as one of the festival’s most prestigious events, celebrate global contributions to cinema and serve as TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser. CEO of TIFF Cameron Bailey, stated that this year’s honourees reflect the global power of storytelling. “Hailing from different corners of the world, Idris Elba, Kazu Hiro, Nina Hoss, Zacharias Kunuk, Catherine O’Hara, Jafar Panahi, and Channing Tatum have created work that moves us, challenges us, and expands our understanding of the human experience,” he noted. Elba, whose African roots and influence are widely celebrated across the continent, will receive the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media. The honour recognises his efforts in using film and media to drive social change, especially through his Elba Hope Foundation, which supports youth empowerment in Africa, the UK, and the United States. He will also premiere his directorial debut short film, Dust to Dreams, at the Festival. Elba joins a list of past recipients including Angelina Jolie and Mira Nair. Other honourees include Japanese-born prosthetic makeup artist Kazu Hiro, who will receive the TIFF Variety Artisan Award, while German actor Nina Hoss and American star Channing Tatum will both be honoured with TIFF Tribute Performer Awards. Iranian director Jafar Panahi and Inuk filmmaker, Zacharias Kunuk, will receive Special Tribute Awards for their unique contributions to world cinema. Canadian screen icon O’Hara, best known internationally for her role in Schitt’s Creek, will receive the TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award. This year’s honourees will be celebrated alongside previously announced recipients, including Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, American actor Jodie Foster, Japanese director HIKARI, and South Korean actor Lee Byung Hun. The 2025 Tribute Awards gala, in partnership with Rolex, will hold September 7 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto. Actor Brendan Fraser will serve as Honorary Chair. The Toronto International Film Festival, now in its 50th year, will run from September 4 to 14.

… Takes Lagos Nightlife Drama To Toronto For TIFF
ASIDE from the TIFF 50 honour, the other thing that is taking Hollywood actor, Idris Elba, to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the world premiere of his new short film, Dust to Dreams. The short film starring British singer, Seal; alongside Nollywood favourites Nse Ikpe-Etim, Eku Edewor, Atlanta Bridget Johnson and Constance Olatunde tells the story of a fading nightclub owner making one last bold move for the future. It is directed by Elba and produced by Mo Abudu of Ebonylife Films, in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). A statement from the festival organisers indicates that the festival will feature Nigeria’s own Agemo, a mystical thriller by first-time director Moshood Abiola. The film has earned multiple nominations, including Best Director – International, Best Actress – Nollywood/African Film, Best Cinematography, and more. This year’s TIFF Shorts programme will showcase 48 films from 28 countries, with Dust to Dreams joining the lineup. For Elba, the project marks another step in his directorial journey after his 2018 debut, Yardie. As a festival, TIFF had previously featured narratives from Nollywood including Half of A Yellow Sun, Death and The King Horseman, Freedom Way, Lionheart, The Wedding Party, and The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos. The festival runs from September 4 to September 14.