Sigourney Weaver champions conservation, receives James Cameron surprise message in Venice opening ceremony

Sigourney Weaver championed environmental conservation efforts in the Venice area, when receiving her honorary Golden Lion at the opening ceremony for the 81st edition of the city’s film festival.

“The true story of conservation is not a global one of doom and gloom,” said Weaver, having received the award from French actress Camille Cottin. “It is the story of people coming together to take care of their own homes, their own neighbourhoods. Citizens coming together to figure this out and doing everything they can to save their city.”

Weaver cited the MOSE project, a system of gates built around the Venetian Lagoon to protect it from flooding. “There’s another reason why this Golden Lion of Venice means so much to me,” said Weaver. “If you were to climb on the back of my winged leone d’oro [golden lion], and soar with me over Venice, we would look down on the Grand Canal; but we would also see the gates of MOSE, the barriers.”

Built on behalf of the ministry of infrastructure and transport – Venice Water Authority, construction on the MOSE gates began in 2003. It has missed completion deadlines in 2018 and 2021, and is now scheduled for completion in 2025, having passed a test in 2020.

“That’s what it will take for all of us wherever we live, and Venice is leading the way,” continued Weaver. “You’re doing what Leonardo [da Vinci] would do – seeing the future and the present and taking it on with courage and faith and genius.”

Cameron surprise

Weaver has promoted animal welfare and environmental causes throughout her career, both after starring in Michael Apted’s 1988 drama Gorillas In The Mist and throughout James Cameron’s Avatar series.

The actress was surprised during the Venice ceremony by a video message from Cameron, who also directed her in 1986’s Aliens.

“It’s such an absolute joy to work with you, Sigourney,” said Cameron. “Your process is this impressive blend of immaculate preparation, and utter abandon and total instinct in the moment.”

“If you ask me, she’s way overdue for that Oscar, if there’s any justice – if there are any Academy members in the audience tonight.” 

“I look forward to more years of working with you in our made-up world of Pandora [the setting for the Avatar films, with three further films in the works],” finished Cameron. “Brava, cara mia.”

Earlier in the ceremony, Cottin had praised Weaver for being “an outspoken ally for the LGBTQ+ community as well as a committed campaigner for environmental issues.”

Host for the evening, Italian actress Sveva Alviti, had previously introduced a montage of Weaver’s work, with cameras cutting to a stunned-looking Weaver in the room.

After the presentation to Weaver, Competition jury president Isabelle Huppert took to the stage to officially open the festival.

Beetlejuice returns

The festival kicked off with the world premiere of Tim Burton’s out of Competition Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, bringing a starry cast to the Lido red carpet including Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, Catherine O’Hara and Monica Bellucci. Temperatures had thankfully dipped from highs of 35 degrees celsius during the day, with shade in high demand around the Lido buildings.

Earlier in the day Huppert joined the heads of each jury, including Horizons jury head Debra Granik, in an opening press conference. It began with an address from new Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, the journalist whose appointment last year drew strong reactions from some quarters due to his right-wing views.

“I would like to welcome you all here,” said Buttafuoco stood up, while the rest of the panel remained seated. “This context of really building together this art world through the lens of cinema… this world needs glasses and it needs a vision, the ability to understand and even more, focus on our feelings, that really gives energy to our heart.”

“I would like to welcome [artistic director] Alberto Barbera because during his work and for many years, he really managed to build this wonderful project where every time he raised the bar.” Buttafuoco then left the conference without taking questions.

The jury heads were asked if they had concerns around their new roles. “Festivals are forums of defiance, going against the cultural grain,” said Granik. “I’m glad we’re together, I’m glad we convened – this festival has got 81 years of solidity and malleability. You don’t get old, you don’t get stale.”

Barbera expressed his relief at the return of star names to the red carpet, after last year’s strike-afflicted edition. “We haven’t seen in years so many stars present, so many actors from all over the world like we do this year,” said the festival head. “The situation is the opposite of what we saw last year; the expectations in the media are very high. I hope these expectations will not be disappointed.”

He then responded to a question from a German journalist about the lack of access for journalists to talent, with several major films deciding not to hold junkets. “I’m not aware of this situation, I doubt it regards the more than 70 films in the festival,” said Barbera. “In this regard, there’s nothing we can do. I can try and make pressure but there’s no way the festival can force the press officers of the distributors to release interviews if they don’t want to.”

“I’ll try and understand better what it’s all about. I’ll see if there’s something we can do about it.”

The Venice Competition gets underway tomorrow with Pablo Larrain’s Maria starring Angelina Jolie.

• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: Venice Review