The 78th Venice Film Festival opened on Wednesday with the world premiere of Pedro Almodóvar’s “Parallel Mothers,” starring Penélope Cruz and Milena Smit, who strutted down the walled-in red carpet alongside other top talent, and Italy’s president, Sergio Mattarella. Venice has been forced to place a wall-like outer barrier shielding the long catwalk entirely, in order to avoid close-knit crowds.

But that did not diminish the balmy evening’s glamorous mood, pervaded with a spirit of restart. Jury president Bong Joon Ho, after taking the stage, said, “We all believe the Corona COVID [crisis] will be over soon, yet the cinema will remain with us forever.” The ceremony was hosted by Italian actor and singer Serena Rossi, who in her opening speech paid tribute to the crisis in Afghanistan.