The love between Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton opens the Venice Film Festival and all the other stars on the red carpet of the first evening

Finally together, hand in hand. After a whole day of being “separated” Monica Bellucci And Tim Burton they arrived side by side on the red carpet of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, opening film of the 2024 Venice Film Festival, an edition that promises a record number of stars. Until now they had kept their distance: he is the director, she is an actress in the cast of his film. Separate boats, distant seats at the press conference, no couple photos at the photocall. And even on the dock of the Excelsior Hotel, the arrival point before the red carpet, they had arrived more than twenty minutes apart.

After all, the Umbrian actress had said it a few months ago: “I’m not with Tim Burton the director, but with Tim, the person I love”. Theirs was love at first sight, “a meeting of souls at 60”, when love could only be reassuring and instead it overwhelmed them. And now the most visionary director in Hollywood wanted her in the sequel to one of his most iconic films, dated almost 40 years ago. “Tim loves Italy. His way of working is a great source of inspiration for me, his creativity helps everyone”, she said a few hours ago, while Burton, more shy, limited himself to mentioning her among the “very good” new entries in the film.

The cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Their first meeting was at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006: he was to present Planet of the Apes with her partner, Helena Bonham Carter, Monica with her husband Vincent Cassel. Today is a whole different story. As a couple on the red carpet also Justin Therouxamong Burton’s new purchases. They parade together Winona Ryder And Jenna Ortega, stratospheric mother and daughter duo on screen. And then again Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe.

Shortly before it was the turn of Cate Blanchett, divine. His landing on the Excelsior pier had, after all, left everyone speechless. “From another planet”, the most frequent comment. He is at the Lido as the protagonist of the series Disclaimer by Alfonso Cuarón. Also on the opening red carpet will be the jury, which will award the Golden Lion and the other official prizes, starting with the president Isabelle Huppertin red, veteran of the Mostra and two-time winner of the Coppa Volpi. And then Chiara Francini which he presented at the Lido at the Giornate degli Autori, Open couple almost wide open. And the lady of the house, the godmother Swabian Alviti.

Queen Sigourney Weaver

Closing the red carpet was the other great star of the evening Sigourney Weaver, awarded tonight with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. “I am honored by the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement but can’t we also include an Italian film in the award package?” she joked at the press conference. And again: “I often ask myself why I should stop. I have been very lucky, I have always loved and respected this work and met lovely directors like Peter Weir and Ridley Scott who have given me the possibility of playing people more than women, playing a part that doesn’t necessarily have to be feminine and this is rare.” Alien, Avatar, just to name two, and characters that are always far from stereotypes: «They always ask me why I play strong women and I think it’s a really strange question: simple, women are strong, they always have been and every day. And real women are my source of inspiration». At the moment, her thoughts are on Kamala Harris: “We’re all thrilled for her.”