VENICE, Italy, (Reuters) – Hollywood veteran Al Pacino is honoured by the Venice film festival yesterday with a special prize and the presentation of his latest directorial project “Wilde Salome”.
Even at such a star-studded festival, where the likes of George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna have walked the red carpet this year, Pacino drew large crowds of screaming fans and autograph hunters to the Lido island.
He receives the Jaeger Lecoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award at a gala awards ceremony.
Wilde Salome is part documentary about the staging of Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde’s play “Salome” starring rising star Jessica Chastain, part an exploration of the author and part film version of Salome itself.
Pacino, one of the giants of cinema with eight Oscar nominations including one win to his name, admitted to being a little confused about what type of picture he had made.
“I guess what I tried to do is … create a story,” Pacino told reporters in Venice after the film was shown to the press.
“But I don’t know what it is. I like to say it’s a documentary because it’s not a film, but then it’s not a documentary either, so I’m confused too.”
