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| Zhao Tao Named 2025 Venice Film Fest Jury Member, Returns to Where Her Career Began |
From debuting on the red carpet to deciding who takes home the Golden Lion, Zhao Tao’s come full circle
Chinese actress Zhao Tao is officially stepping into a new role — and it’s a pretty major one. The Caught by the Tides star has just been announced as one of the main jury members for the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, set to kick off this autumn in Italy.
The news was first picked up by Mingpao and confirmed by Zhao herself on Weibo, where she shared a sentimental post looking back on her two-decade journey in cinema. “Platform (2000) was the first film I acted in,” she wrote. “It premiered in the main competition section of the Venice Film Festival. Venice is where my journey in film began... I’ve missed it.”
It’s not just nostalgia though — this year, Zhao will be helping decide the winners of some of the world’s most prestigious film awards, including the Golden Lion for Best Film, Coppa Volpi for Best Actor and Actress, and the Special Jury Prize.
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She’ll be rubbing shoulders with a high-calibre international jury including:
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Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here),
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Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof (The Seed of the Sacred Fig),
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Palme d’Or winner Cristian Mungiu from Romania (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days),
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French filmmaker Stéphane Brizé (Out of Season),
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and Italian director Maura Delpero (Vermiglio).
The jury will be led by none other than Alexander Payne, the American filmmaker behind Sideways and The Descendants.
Zhao Tao, who’s long been known as the muse and wife of iconic director Jia Zhangke, has had seven films selected by Venice over the years — not bad for someone whose debut film also premiered there. Her most recent film, Caught by the Tides (2024), received strong reviews on the international festival circuit and is already seen as one of the best works of her career.