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In Oscar terms, we\u2019ve lived through a whole season in about a week\u2014at least when it comes to the best actress race.<\/p>\n
Between the Venice<\/a>, Telluride<\/a>, and Toronto Film Festivals<\/a>, what once felt like a shapeless and wide-open lead actress field has come into abrupt, exciting focus. Credit Nicole Kidman<\/strong>\u2019s thrilling but bittersweet Volpi Cup win in Venice this evening. Her performance in Babygirl<\/em>,<\/a> Halina Reijn<\/strong>\u2019s acclaimed erotic drama, is among the very best of her screen career\u2014fearless, vulnerable, and slyly comic at once. But she was unable to accept the award in person, as after just returning to Venice for the closing ceremony, she received some tragic personal news.<\/p>\n \u201cToday I arrived in Venice to learn shortly thereafter that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed,\u201d Kidman wrote in a statement, which Reijn read while accepting the award on her behalf. \u201cI’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. I’m beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Helena. The collision of art and life is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.\u201d<\/p>\n As Kidman steps out of the public eye to be with her family, she’s likely to remain on many voters’ minds as the race continues. Let\u2019s start with Telluride, where several potential players cemented their status as major contenders. There was Saoirse Ronan<\/strong>\u2019s The Outrun<\/em><\/a>, which played well enough in Sundance, and first-time campaigners Mikey Madison<\/strong> (Anora<\/em>) and Karla Sof\u00eda Gasc\u00f3n<\/strong> (Emilia P\u00e9rez<\/em>), coming off of their movies\u2019 Prize-winning launches<\/a> in Cannes. The Colorado mountains offered each film a second wave of screenings, and goodness did both play spectacularly\u2014as well as, if not better than the world premieres on the ground. Ronan was also honored with a Tribute Medallion, Telluride\u2019s highest honor for actors, while I heard of hundreds being turned away from Anora<\/em> and Emilia<\/em> screenings due to demand. For those that did find a seat, the films and performances were received extremely well.<\/p>\n