Mandatory face masks and temperature checks: Inside the opening of the Venice Film Festival


Emma Day
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Gone is a lot of the glitz and the glamour, but that's not to say this year's Venice International Film Festival is entirely without star power.

The 77th iteration of the annual cinematic celebration officially kicked off in the Italian city on Wednesday, September 2, with a number of famous faces jetting in for the occasion.

Jury president Cate Blanchett made an appearance at the opening photocall, donning a disposable face mask which she briefly removed as she posed on stage.

Scroll through the gallery above to see more images from the opening of the 77th annual Venice International Film Festival.

Actor Matt Dillon, model Taylor Hill and Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha were also in attendance on the festival's first day.

All sported protective face masks, which are required indoors at all times during the festival.

A number of other security measures have also been introduced at the event, the first major in-person film showcase since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The public are barred from the red carpet, Hollywood stars and films are largely absent, and the slightly reduced line-up still contains in-competition films from a number of countries, but will be a mostly European affair.

The festival will run until Saturday, September 12.

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

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The Intruder

Director: Deon Taylor

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good

One star

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Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

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