American filmmaker Gus Van Sant to receive award in Venice

American filmmaker Gus Van Sant will be honored with the "Campari Passion for Film Award" during the 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival, which will take place between August 27 and September 6.

The honor, presented by the Venice Biennale in partnership with Campari, aims to "celebrate talents from the world of cinema who embody character, dedication and a bold artistic vision" and recognizes "those who transform passion into creative force."

For the festival director, Alberto Barbera, "Gus Van Sant is a unique author in the contemporary cinema scene, capable of combining a profoundly independent vision with a surprising ability to engage with the public."

"His cinema moves freely between the Hollywood system and the auteur cinema circuits, participating in the rules of the industry without ever being constrained by them, always faithful to a personal, bold and constantly evolving vision," emphasized Barbera, remembering that the director created works that marked the collective imagination and launched great actors, such as River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

The awards ceremony will take place on September 2nd, in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema, at 9:30 pm (local time), before the out-of-competition screening of Van Sant's new film, the thriller "Dead Man's Wire", which stars Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Cary Elwes, Myha'la and Al Pacino.

"I am truly honored to receive the Passion for Cinema Award. I sincerely thank Campari; it means a lot to me.

I'm grateful not only for the recognition of my work, but also for the support of one of the world's greatest institutions celebrating cinema. It's a privilege to be part of this tradition, and I deeply appreciate their passion for film," the filmmaker thanked.

Gus Van Sant has been considered a key figure in American independent cinema since the 1980s. His poetry focuses on outsiders, troubled teenagers, urban loneliness, and social marginalization, narrated with a minimalist, empathetic, and experimental visual style.

After his debut with Mala Noche (1985), he achieved international fame with Drugstore Cowboy (1989). In 1991, he presented in Venice the film that definitively consecrated him: My Own Private Idaho, starring Reeves and Phoenix. In 1997, he directed Good Will Hunting, which won two Oscars: one for Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams and one for Best Original Screenplay for Damon and Affleck.