The film, in which Toni Servillo plays an Italian president who pardons a woman who killed her husband suffering from Alzheimer’s, received a long-standing ovation at the Lido as it raised the curtain on the world’s oldest cinema festival.
“It’s a film about love, doubt and politics,” said the Oscar-winning director of The Great Beauty.
Also in the spotlight on opening night was veteran German director Werner Herzog, who received the Golden Lion for career achievement.
The opening was overshadowed, however, by controversy after a pro-Palestinian group of artists requested the exclusion of Israeli actor Gal Gadot and Scottish actor Gerard Butler for allegedly supporting Israel amid the “Gaza genocide”.
“We have clearly expressed our position on Gaza, but we are not censoring anyone,” said Venice Film Festival Director Alberto Barbera.
On Saturday, the Venice4Palestine group will demonstrate in the lagoon, with countercultural leftist social centres also taking part.
Meanwhile, Sorrentino’s latest film, after Il Divo, Loro, Youth, The Consequences of Love, The Hand of God and Partenope, received a warm reception from the foreign press on Thursday, with high praise for Servillo in the role of the president-protagonist.
“La Grazia is an elegant, refined and meditative film that leaves room for enigma,” wrote Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian, awarding it four stars.
“Toni Servillo is extraordinary in Paolo Sorrentino’s exquisite character study, which explores the complex introspection of a man of power,” wrote David Rooney in The Hollywood Reporter.
“This film is a real breath of fresh air for cinema,” wrote William Bibbiani in The Wrap, adding: “Toni Servillo deserves an Oscar nomination for this performance. Sorrentino has made some very beautiful works in his career, and this is one of the best.”
Peter Hammond in Deadline wrote: “The film shows Sorrentino abandoning his tendency towards extravagance, reaching a new artistic maturity.”
Jonathan Romney in Screen Daily wrote: “La Grazia is a wonderful film, which captures you and never lets go.”
Kevin Maher in The Times wrote: “La Grazia is a film that slows down and suspends time, embodying much of Sorrentino’s charm.”
Marshall Shaffer in The Playlist wrote: “La Grazia is a parable of our autocratic age, which deeply respects the inner reserve of the character played by Servillo.”
Owen Gleiberman in Variety wrote: “Paolo Sorrentino opens the Venice Film Festival with a presidential drama more understated than usual for him, and better for it.”
“Toni Servillo plays the president of Italy, who is staid to a fault (just like the movie), though with hidden depths,” he added.
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