Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino returned to the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday evening, opening the 82nd edition with his latest feature La Grazia . The in-competition drama about the final days of a fictional Italian presidency was greeted with an ovation that lasted 6 minutes and 20 seconds.

La Grazia stars Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti. Sorrentino 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 .

After tonight’s screening, which had been preceded by a ceremony honoring Werrner Herzog with a Lifetime Achievement Golden Lion, the applause started as soon as the credits began, and paused briefly for a mid-credit scene. After the scene, the crowd, which included attendees Tilda Swinton and

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