A stretch of film festivals has been kicked off. Venice Film Festival, in particular, has given out its respective accolades, including the Golden Lion. 

The Golden Lion is the highest award that a film can nab at the fest. In the past, the award has been given to Mario Monicelli’s The Great War, Guillermo del Toro’s Shape Of Water, and even Todd Phillips’ Joker. 

The Golden Lion went to The Room Next Door this year. Directed by Pedro Almodóvar, and starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door follows a writer who rekindles her friendship with a journalist, only for their friendship to be pushed to the limit when one makes an extreme request of the other. 

Best picture during the fest went to The New Year That Never Came. Written and directed by Bogdan Mureşanu, the film takes place in Romania in 1989, as the communist regime crumbles before a small group of individuals whose circumstances brought them together. 

Deadline, who also posted a complete list of all recipients for the year, noted that Nicole Kidman took home a Best Actress award. 

Kidman was recognized specifically for her role in Babygirl, where she plays an established business-woman putting her career on the line after she begins an affair with her intern. 

Unfortunately, Kidman could not be there in person to receive her award, due to her mother passing away just a few days ago. 

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