Bad news for Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master: The prolific director's movie based the life of Scientology founder L Rob Hubbard, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix, was supposed to win the top award at the Venice Film Festival but alas, its award was 'rescinded' in somewhat controversial circumstances.
Basically, as per The Hollywood Reporter, the jury at the festival which is led by the awesome Michael Mann (Heat) had originally planned on awarding the top prize of the Golden Lion to The Master, but instead gave it to Korean drama Pieta. Why did they do this? Apparently because of some new festival rule which disallows a film from garnering more than two major awards. The There Will Be Blood director's film had already been awarded the Silver Lion prize for his directing, with the acting award being shared jointly between the film's frontmen - Joaquin and Philip.
Pieta was then awarded with the Golden Lion after what's being described as a "heated session" went down between the jury members. Heat... Michael Mann... geddit? I'm here all night.
Sure, it probably sucks, but in the longrun this will serve only to further promote The Master, lining it up nicely for more than a few Oscar nods come January.