Oasis Brothers Bring Star Power to Venice Film Festival

Festival Ovation Metrics and Comparisons

Audience applause duration often signals potential jury favor at major film festivals, as juries are frequently present in the theater, according to industry trackers. The Gallagher brothers clocked an eight-minute ovation in the Sala Grande, an event that Variety described as temporarily transforming into a moshpit of selfie and autograph seekers.

Despite the high energy surrounding the Oasis arrival, overall film ovations dipped compared to previous years. In 2024, Pedro Almodóvar’s euthanasia drama The Room Next Door drew an 18-minute ovation before winning the Golden Lion. The following year, The Voice of Hind Rajab set a record with a 23-minute ovation and claimed the Grote Juryprijs, according to festival data. Five films surpassed ten minutes of applause in 2024, compared to four films the subsequent year. For the current edition, titles such as Ink, Bucking Fastard, Primetime, and The Echo Chamber secured between four and eight minutes of applause.

Contenders in Competition: Wild Horse Nine and Social Dramas

Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine broke the lower ovation trend by clocking a 14-minute applause, according to festival records. McDonagh, known for verbal scripts and dark-comedic twists in films like The Banshees of Inisherin, centers his latest narrative on CIA assassin Lee (Sam Rockwell) vacationing on Easter Island alongside his ailing mentor Chris (John Malkovich). In the 1973-set story, Chris repents for bloody coups in Guatemala, Congo, and Chile prior to the overthrow of President Allende, while a worried boss monitors them from afar due to a souvenir originating from Dallas in 1963.

While Wild Horse Nine shares structural similarities with McDonagh’s 2008 breakthrough In Bruges, comedies historically struggle to capture top festival prizes compared to horror, though critics note John Malkovich holds strong potential for an acting award. Another notable title in competition is 15/18 (A Place to Heal), a social drama set in a French youth clinic focusing on a rebellious youth named Enzo.

International Entries and Historical Narratives

May el-Toukhy presented Woman Unknown, a grim narrative depicting a woman in post-WWII Denmark forced to compromise her physical and social survival to avoid being labeled a collaborator. According to el-Toukhy, the story highlights how a woman’s body is treated as state property during wartime. El-Toukhy stands out as the sole female solo director in competition at this year’s festival.

Asian cinema maintained a strong presence on the Lido. Shinya Tsukamoto presented the polarizing Japanese Vietnam War drama Mr Nelson, Did You Kill People, which drew mixed reactions regarding its stylistic choices and performances. Meanwhile, Hirokazu Kore-eda directed Look Back, a bitter-sweet live-action adaptation of an anime following two schoolgirls mastering manga. South Korean director Lee Chang-dong returned eight years after his thriller Burning with Possible Love, a family epic exploring social divides that earned a six-minute ovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Oasis compete for an award at the Venice Film Festival?

No, Noel and Liam Gallagher attended the festival solely to launch their reunion promotional video, Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, and did not compete for the Golden Lion.

Which film received the longest applause at the festival?

Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine recorded the highest ovation of the current lineup with 14 minutes of applause, falling short of the historic 23-minute record set by The Voice of Hind Rajab in the previous year.

Who stars in Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine?

The film stars Sam Rockwell as CIA assassin Lee and John Malkovich as his ailing mentor Chris.