Andrey Zvyagintsev pops up again as global cinema heats up Cannes/Venice chatter; Russian director of The Return (Golden Lion 2003) and later awards.
The Venice Biennale is reopening Russia’s pavilion for the first time since 2022 amid protests and a mass jury resignation over entries from states facing ICC charges. The international jury has resigned, and the festival is facing scrutiny from the EU and Italy as debates over artistic neutrality and politics intensify.