Alexander Payne, known for acclaimed films like The Holdovers, Sideways, and Nebraska has been announced as the head of this year’s international jury at the Venice Film Festival.
In a statement, Payne expressed his excitement about the role, saying,
“It’s an enormous honor and joy to serve on the jury at Venice. While I have a filmmaker’s ambivalence about comparing films, I deeply respect the festival’s nearly century-long tradition of celebrating cinema as an art form.”
Venice Festival director Alberto Barbera praised Payne for his extensive knowledge of both classic and contemporary cinema, stating that he is part of a select group of filmmakers whose passion for film transcends boundaries. Barbera noted that Payne's experience as a screenwriter makes him an ideal choice to lead the jury in evaluating global films. Their relationship dates back to Payne's graduation short film at UCLA.
With a remarkable total of 24 Oscar nominations — including four for Best Picture and three for Best Director — Payne has won two Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sideways (2004) and The Descendants (2011). His latest film, The Holdovers (2023), earned accolades including Best Supporting Actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Notably, Payne has only screened one film in the Venice competition: Downsizing, which premiered on the Lido in 2017.
