Gus Van Sant will be celebrated by the Venice Film Festival with its Campari Passion for Film Award.
Van Sant is a key figure of American indie cinema from the 1980s onwards, whose body of work includes “Drugstore Cowboy,” “My Own Private Idaho,” the Columbine shooting-inspired “Elephant,” Nicole Kidman’s “To Die For,” Oscar winner “Milk” and “Good Will Hunting,” which launched Ben Affleck and Matt Damon into stardom.
Van Sant will be on the Lido with hostage thriller “Dead Man’s Wire,” starring Bill Skarsgård, Colman Domingo, Dacre Montgomery and Al Pacino, which is screening at Venice out of competition. He will receive the prize on Sept. 2 before the gala screening of “Dead Man’s Wire.”
“Gus Van Sant is a unique filmmaker in the landscape of contemporary cinema, who combines a deeply independent perspective with a remarkable ability to connect with audiences,” said Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera in a statement. “His cinema moves freely between the Hollywood system and the circuits of cinéma d’essai, engaging with industry rules without ever being constrained by them, and remaining true to a bold and ever-evolving personal vision.”
Commented Van Sant: “I’m truly honored to receive the Passion for Film award. My heartfelt thanks to Campari for this recognition — it means a great deal to me. I’m grateful not only for their acknowledgement of my work, but also for their support of one of the world’s great institutions of cinema celebration and exhibition. It’s a privilege to be part of this tradition, and I deeply appreciate the passion they bring to film.”
This Campari Passion for Film Award award, presented in collaboration with the Venice festival’s artistic direction, “honors those who turn passion into a driving creative force — not simply as a lifetime achievement, but as a tribute to the will to stand out and leave an indelible mark on the art of cinematic storytelling,” according to the Venice statement.
Previous recipients of the award include U.S. film editor Bob Murawski, Italian cinematographer Luca Bigazzi, U.S. jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, British production designer Marcus Rowland, U.S. artist and costume designer Arianne Phillips and Italian production designer Tonino Zera.
This year’s Venice Film Festival runs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6.
