Matt Damon

Matt Damon is among those pulling double duty on the Lido this year. Just like Javier Bardem, who will be seen in both mother! and Loving Pablo – and, in the character role department, Udo Kier (Downsizing and Brawl in Cell Block 99), Damon is starring in two films: George Clooney’s Suburbicon and Alexander Payne’s Downsizing.

Festivals are all about a vast array of talent, ideas and points of view. A good festival - like the ever-classy, ever-young Venice Film Festival - also emphasizes collaboration, its relaxed atmosphere allowing for filmmakers and actors to get together to both celebrate their work and conjure future projects.

After a five-minute applause for the opening night film, filmmakers Alexander Payne, his producers and actors Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig and Hong Chau made a pit stop at the official festival party in a plastic tent on the beach in front of the Excelsior Hotel, before boarding boats to head over to the Grand Canal for their own dinner in the magnificent Ca’ Rezzonico Museum of 18th Century Art. The setting was anything but ‘downsized’: Murano glass chandeliers cast a magical light on the guests, the paintings and reliefs made many gaze up to the ceilings and not even the late hour – the main course of lobster was served at 1 am – could distract from the splendid venue.

Two-time Golden Globe winner Matt Damon will be the darling of two of the most important summer film festivals, Venice and Toronto, with two movies: Alexander Payne’s Downsizing and George Clooney’s Suburbicon. As a producer, he’s in pre-production on the series City on the Hill.

Set to be the largest US-China co-production ever, The Great Wall will open this Friday, February 17 in the US. Directed by the renowned Fifth Generation director Zhang Yimou, the fantasy blockbuster is set against the breathtaking backdrop of China’s iconic landmark and follows two western explorers’ journey to the frontier of a heroic battle between Chinese warriors and ruthless yet intelligent creatures called Tao Tie.

Matt Damon gives us a fascinating look behind the scenes of The Great Wall. Zhang Yimou's "art-fantasy-blockbuster" combines the craft of one of China's most respected (and Golden Globe nominated) auteur, with grand spectacle as the vision of future Chinese-American mega co-productions.

Four years after he let go of Jason Bourne and allowed Jeremy Renner to take over, Matt Damon has reclaimed the character created by Robert Ludlum of the indomitable CIA assassin who does not remember where he comes from. Damon has teamed up again with Paul Greengrass.

Matt Damon loves Venice - but then, what's not to love?.

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