Gus Van Sant to Receive Venice Fest’s Passion for Film Award
'Dead Man's Wire', Gus Van Sant Courtesy of the Venice Film Festival
The acclaimed director of 'Milk' and 'Good Will Hunting' will be honored in Venice ahead of his latest film, 'Dead Man’s Wire.'
Two-time Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant will be honored with this year’s Campari Passion for Film Award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, recognizing his enduring influence on modern cinema.
Known for genre-defying work that straddles the line between indie and mainstream filmmaking, Van Sant will accept the award on September 2 — just before the world premiere of his new feature, Dead Man’s Wire, which screens out of competition. The thriller stars Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, and Al Pacino.
The Campari Passion for Film Award celebrates individuals whose cinematic vision and unwavering dedication to the art form leave an indelible mark. It is not a lifetime achievement honor but one that foregrounds innovation and a lasting creative legacy.
“I’m truly honored to receive the Passion for Film award,” Van Sant said in a statement. “My heartfelt thanks to Campari for this recognition — it means a great deal to me. I’m grateful not only for their acknowledgement of my work, but also for their support of one of the world’s great institutions of cinema celebration and exhibition. It’s a privilege to be part of this tradition.”
Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera called Van Sant “a unique filmmaker in the landscape of contemporary cinema,” applauding his seamless navigation between art house cinema and mainstream success. “He has made films that have left a lasting mark on the collective imagination,” said Barbera, referencing Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant, and Milk. “A discoverer of talent, he has launched actors such as River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.”
Van Sant emerged as a key figure in American independent cinema in the 1980s with his debut Mala Noche, followed by the groundbreaking Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho, which competed in Venice in 1991. He gained international recognition with Good Will Hunting (1997), which earned nine Academy Award nominations and won two, and with Milk (2008), which received eight Oscar nods, winning best actor for Sean Penn and best original screenplay for Dustin Lance Black.
His experimental Palme d’Or winner Elephant (2003), inspired by the Columbine shooting, further solidified his status as one of the most daring storytellers in contemporary film.
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Dead Man’s Wire chronicles the surreal 1977 hostage standoff led by Anthony G. “Tony” Kiritsis, who rigged a shotgun to his neck and held a mortgage banker at gunpoint in a highly publicized and psychologically complex act of desperation.
Past recipients of the Passion for Film Award include editor Bob Murawski, cinematographer Luca Bigazzi, composer Terence Blanchard, and production designers Tonino Zera and Paola Comencini.
The 82nd Venice International Film Festival runs from August 27 through September 9.
