Italian actor Caterina Murino, best known globally for playing Solange in James Bond movie “Casino Royale,” will be the master of ceremonies at the upcoming Venice Film Festival.
Born in Cagliari, Sardegna, Murino made her big screen debut in 2002 in late Chilean writer/director Luis Sepulveda’s political drama “Nowhere” which played well in France. She returned to French film screens in 2004 in “L’Enquete Corse” opposite actors Christian Clavier and Jean Reno.
In 2006 Murino gained global visibility as the new 007 Bond Girl alongside Daniel Craig with her role as the shady seductive Solange Dimitrios in “Casino Royale.”
She subsequently starred in British comedy “St.Trinian’s” and in 2008 attended Venice as protagonist of Italian Director Pappi Corsicato’s “The Seed of Discord.”
In 2017 Murino starred in U.S. supernatural thriller “The Voice in Stone” and in 2021 appeared in Alex de la Iglesia’s “Veneciafrenia” and in Netflix family dramedy “My Brother, My Sister,” directed by Roberto Capucci. Murino will next appear on the big screen alongside Vincent Cassel in “The Opera!” by Davide Livermore and Paolo Gep Cucco. Venice’s choice of Murino to host the opening and closing ceremonies signals a desire to project a more international image than in past editions when it comes to the Italian talent it choses for this role.
As previously announced Damien Chazellewill preside over the jury of the fest’s upcoming edition while France’s Alice Diop will head the jury for first works and Jonas Carpignano will lead the jury of the Horizons section dedicated to more cutting edge films.
The 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival will run Aug. 30-Sept. 9.
