Maggie Gyllenhaal to lead Venice Film Festival jury

Actor and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal will preside over the main competition jury for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival later this year.

Festival organisers announced the selection on Thursday.

Gyllenhaal, who most recently directed The Bride!, brought her directorial debut The Lost Daughter to the festival in 2021.

Her adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel – starring Jessie Buckley, Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson – won the festival’s screenplay award that year.

“Maggie Gyllenhaal embodies an artistic path of uncommon consistency, constructed over time with intelligence and courage,” festival director Alberto Barbera said in a statement.

“Having her as the president of our jury means being able to rely on an authoritative and independent voice.”

The jury, which will eventually be filled out with others in the international film community, is responsible for watching all the competition titles and assigning prizes, including the Golden Lion.

Last year, Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother was awarded the top prize by the Alexander Payne-led jury over the likes of Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.

“Venice has always supported truthful, singular voices and I am honoured to play a part in continuing that brave and necessary tradition,” Gyllenhaal said in a statement.

“I will not be standing in judgment, but in curiosity, admiration and excitement.”

The 83rd edition of the festival runs from September 2-12.