VENICE -- The 81st Venice International Film Festival has drawn to a close after ten days showcasing groundbreaking cinema, star-studded premieres, and films and talent conveying powerful statements both on and off the screen. Reaffirming its growing role as a launchpad for Oscar contenders, the festival once again proved its worth in the global film landscape.

 Golden Lion and Major Awards

Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language feature, "The Room Next Door," was awarded the prestigious Golden Lion, the Venice Film Festival’s top prize. Starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, the film tackles the complicated topic of euthanasia. Swinton portrays a war correspondent with terminal cancer who asks her old and dear friend, played by Moore, to be by her side as she chooses to end her life.

 In his acceptance speech, the 74-year-old Almodóvar advocated for the right to die with dignity, stating, "I believe that saying goodbye to this world cleanly and with dignity is a fundamental right of every human being." The film's premiere had been met by an astounding 18-minute standing ovation earlier in the week.

 While Almodóvar's triumph was widely anticipated, the Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize brought a surprise with its award to Italian director Maura Delpero’s "Vermiglio," a drama set in the Italian Alps during World War II. The acting honours instead saw Australia's Nicole Kidman awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her daring role in erotic thriller "Babygirl" where she plays a powerful CEO that becomes increasingly entangled in a toxic affair with an intern. Kidman was present in the earlier part of the festival and the red carpet ahead of the film’s premiere, but was unable to attend the ceremony due to her mother's unexpected passing. The prestigious Volpi Cup for Best Actor was secured by France's Vincent Lindon secured for his powerful performance in "The Quiet Son," a timely drama exploring the impact of extreme-right radicalism on a family.

 Meanwhile, other awards of note included the Silver Lion for Best Director that went to American Brady Corbet for his ambitious 3.5-hour epic "The Brutalist." Shot on 70mm celluloid, the film chronicles the life of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, played by Adrien Brody, as he rebuilds his life in the United States. Corbet used his acceptance speech to champion artistic integrity in the face of commercial pressures.

 Notable absences from the winners' list included high-profile films such as Todd Phillips's "Joker: Folie à Deux" starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Luca Guadagnino's "Queer" featuring Daniel Craig as a gay drug addict, and Pablo Larraín's "Maria" with Angelina Jolie portraying opera legend Maria Callas, all of whom were present in the star-studded event.

 Festival Highlights and Future of Cinema

The Venice Film Festival this year continued to consolidate its reputation as a platform for emerging talents and important narratives. Sarah Friedland's "Familiar Touch" made a significant impact, winning the award for Best Director in the Orizzonti section and securing the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut Film. The Orizzonti Award for Best Film went to "The New Year That Never Came" by Romanian director Bogdan Mureșanu, while the Special Orizzonti Jury Prize was awarded to "One of Those Days When Hemme Dies" by Turkish filmmaker Murat Fıratoğlu.

 The festival also celebrated cinema legends, presenting Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement awards to both American actress Sigourney Weaver and Australian director Peter Weir. Claude Lelouch received the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award, while Paola Comencini was honoured with the Campari Passion for Film Award.

 Beyond the glamour, pressing social issues were also addressed by many attendees who expressed solidarity with Palestinians on the red carpet, and several films tackled challenging subjects such as abortion, white supremacy, and historical injustices.

 In the wake of the 81st Venice International Film Festival closing ceremony, its impact on the upcoming awards season is eagerly anticipated. With many of the past Oscar winners having premiered their films at Venice, the festival maintains its status as a crucial predictor of future accolades.