Venice premiere of 'Wild Horse Nine' earns 13-minute ovation and Oscar buzz
Martin McDonagh’s film ‘Wild Horse Nine’ received a 13-minute standing ovation at its Venice debut, propelling it into awards conversation.
At Thursday’s Venice Film Festival, Martin McDonagh’s latest drama ‘Wild Horse Nine’ sparked a 13-minute standing ovation, one of the longest cheers of the week. The film, starring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as CIA officers sent to Easter Island in 1973, drew enthusiastic reactions from the audience, with cast members Leslie Bibb and Parker Posey visibly moved. McDonagh and Rockwell entered the auditorium to shake hands and sign autographs as the applause continued.
The ensemble also includes Steve Buscemi and Tom Waits, while McDonagh’s partner Phoebe Waller-Bridge was spotted on the red carpet. The movie, which will compete for the Golden Lion, follows a plot set just before the Chilean coup that toppled President Salvador Allende and is already being touted as an Oscar contender.
