Beetlejuiced

The opening day of the Venice Film Festival was dominated by Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Lots of red carpet glamor with a slew of movie stars from Monica Bellucci to Catherine O’Hara. Michael Keaton had fun all day pointing his iPhone at fans and filming them. Beetlejuice-themed cosplayers scattered around the red carpet area and up to the press room. Winona Ryder wore a dress aligned with the film. But the very young crowd went crazy for Jenna Ortega, aka Wednesday Addams, who arrived in stunning red. Lido-mania has arrived.

Angry Journalists

The Venice press is infuriated by the shortage of junkets: they moan that there are few if any authorized interviews. Mariam Schaghaghi, a German journalist for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, asks Alberto Barbera about this directly during the press conference. Barbera, however, said he is not aware of the situation, explaining that decisions regarding the availability of talent depend on the distributors, and they prefer to focus media coverage on the when films are released later in the year.  

Disclaimer Gets Dissed?

 The preview room for Alfonso Cuaron’s Apple + Disclaimer series starring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline and Sacha Baron Coen (unrecognizable and amazing in a very serious role) empties out soon after the second episode of three. Three episodes in a row, at 180 minutes nonstop, is too much for the audience, it seems. Or maybe they didn’t like it?

Red Carpet Flip Flop

We conclude our roundup of curiosities with the white plastic flip-flops sported by Jim Simpson, the husband of Sigourney Weaver, who was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. If until now we had become accustomed to sneakers paired with tuxedos, flip flops with socks on the red carpet were an absolute novelty. Had the director and actor perhaps forgotten his shoes? Were his feet hurting? Or did he want to launch a new trend? The mystery remains unsolved.