Mara Sisters Film Premieres at Venice Festival; Gyllenhaal Criticizes Director Shortage

The film "Bucking Fastard," starring sisters Rooney and Kate Mara, premiered Thursday at the Venice Film Festival.

This marks the first time the sisters have acted together, portraying co-dependent twins Jean and Joan Holbrooke who speak in unison. Director Werner Herzog noted the Maras' natural chemistry, sending them home after five days of a planned two-week rehearsal. Rooney Mara described the experience as quite daunting but said their shared lifetime created an unspoken world between them.

Kate Mara added that speaking in unison felt like a song, it was very musical. The film, set in Ireland, also features Domhnall Gleeson and Orlando Bloom. It is loosely based on the real story of British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin. The 83rd Venice Film Festival is running from September 2 through September 12, attracting celebrities including George Clooney, Laura Dern, and Chase Sui Wonders.

Maggie Gyllenhaal, serving as the jury president for the festival, voiced concerns about the lack of female directors in this year’s competition lineup. She stated, "There’s a systemic problem. It’s harder for women to get films financed," and questioned, "Who decides what’s good? Who decides what is valuable?" Only one film vying for the Golden Lion, "Woman Unknown" by Danish-Egyptian director May el-Toukhy, was directed solely by a woman.

Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera mentioned the addition of "Naza," a documentary co-directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, to the competition. George Clooney, a prominent attendee, also stated that AI poses a threat to both film and journalism. Danny Boyle's "Ink" opened the festival.