Rourke on course for Oscar glory

“The best movie I’ve ever made”. So says Mickey Rourke of “The Wrestler”, which has won the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice film festival.

Jury president Wim Wenders calls his performance “heartbreaking”, and Rourke was keen to praise the director, Darren Aronofsky, for giving him such a golden comeback, and putting him in the Oscar frame:

“Darren could make other kind of movies if he wanted to make a lot of money in United States,” he said. “I love and respect him because he doesn’t compromise, he wants to make movies that are not that expensive and have a lot of integrity.”

For Aronofsky it is also a comeback, as two years ago here his film The Fountain sank without trace.
Wenders only regretted competition rules prevented him from giving Rourke the actor’s prize as well.

Local interest was represented by Silvio Orlando, who won the actor’s award for his over protective father in Il Papa di Giovanna.

And France’s Dominique Blanc won best actress for her portrayal of a woman whose love for a younger man drives her to the brink of madness in L’autre.