“Wild Horse Nine”, a powerful black comedy with political undertones

As in *The Spirits of the Island* the tone is primarily that of a black comedy, but always with a political twist which, in this case, primarily takes aim at American history through numerous references to events that took place during the twentieth century and to US involvement in the end of democracy and the beginning of the dictatorship in Chile.

If one of the film’s standout features is its ability to blend truly hilarious moments with more moving ones, the credit must also go to a cast skilled at bringing out the full range of emotions crafted by Martin McDonagh’s screenplay: Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and Mariana Di Girolamo all perform well, but John Malkovich’s impressive performance as Chris – a gruff and tormented CIA agent, capable of biting humour and emotional outbursts that strike a deep chord – is simply worthy of a standing ovation.

Nor should we overlook a scene featuring Tom Waits, playing Chris’s brother, in this film which can also be seen as an unconventional western with no winners, sustained solely by the defeated.

Not only could the film feature on the Venice Film Festival’s list of winners, but it could also easily become one of the favourites at the upcoming Oscars.

Also in the running for the Golden Lion is Werner Herzog’s *Bucking Fastard*, a real oddity within the Venice Film Festival competition, as well as a film that is entirely consistent with the artistic vision of the great director who helmed it.

At the heart of the plot are Jean and Joan Holbrooke, two sisters so close that they speak in unison, love the same man and share the same dreams. Even their slips of the tongue are identical and occur at the same time.

Inspired by the true story of the twins Freda and Greta Chaplin from York, known for doing absolutely everything together, who made headlines in 1980 following an accusation of stalking a local lorry driver: the film begins right here, following the two sisters into a courtroom, before becoming, above all, their quest to find true love.

The narrative has some convoluted passages and the film drags a little in the middle section, but there are also flashes of great cinema, in which one can easily spot references to the masterpieces of Herzog’s filmography: from *Fitzcarraldo* (evoked by a line about how everyone should ‘dig a tunnel through a mountain’) to *Cave of Forgotten Dreams*; the director’s fans will have great fun unearthing echoes of his past films (one cannot fail to mention “Stroszek” in this regard either).

Although it may seem a slightly one-sided perspective, the film nevertheless manages to soar towards its conclusion, amidst caves where Herzog’s camera captures sequences that will linger in the viewer’s mind long after the film has ended.

Particular mention must be made of the excellent performances by Kate and Rooney Mara in this film which, as the opening caption notes, is dedicated to David Lynch.

Meanwhile, in Venice, at the Teatro Goldoni, the 17th DVF Awards were presented. Organised by Diane von Furstenberg, the awards recognise global female leaders who serve as extraordinary examples of people capable of bringing about real change.

Among this year’s award winners, the name of Jane Fonda stood out – an actress with an extraordinary career who is also widely recognised for her activism.

Born in New York on 21 December 1937, the two-time Oscar-winning actress emphasised that people in the United States are fighting harder and harder to stop authoritarianism: Fonda had already spoken out publicly in recent months in defence of freedom of expression, explicitly protesting against the decisions taken by the Trump administration.