COLIN FARRELL has won the best actor award at the 79th Venice Film Festival for his performance in The Banshees of Inisherin.
The story, set in 1923 in Ireland, follows Farrell's character Pádraic as his friend Colm, played by Brendan Gleeson, decides to cut ties with him and their friendship.
The film had received a 15-minute standing ovation at the festival last week, the greatest response from the crowd.
"I’m shocked to get this and thrilled,” Farrell said in a live video message broadcast at the festival Saturday night.
McDonagh was on site to collect the prize before he got one of his own for screenplay.
The film was shot on Inishmore and Achill Island, and also stars Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan.
Cate Blanchett won best actress for her role in TÁR.
The jury, led by Julianne Moore, is selecting the winners from 23 films in competition that included many Oscar hopefuls. The Oscar-winner presided over a jury that included French director Audrey Diwan, whose film Happening won the Golden Lion last year, author Kazuo Ishiguro and Iranian actor Leila Hatami.
