George Clooney briefly swapped Hollywood star status for that of a press photographer during a playful red-carpet appearance at the Venice Film Festival.
The actor picked up a camera from AFP photographer Tiziana Fabi and turned it towards the photographers gathered in front of him, reversing the usual roles as he posed at the Lido.
Clooney had arrived in Venice for the festival’s 83rd edition, where he was presented with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the opening ceremony on Wednesday, September 2.
After handing the award to Fabi, he took several pictures with her professional camera. The photographer later said the images were all in focus and good enough to prompt the joking suggestion that Clooney should be hired.
The light-hearted exchange came as Clooney attended the festival in connection with Furies, a Lebanese-Brazilian crime drama screening in the Venice Spotlight section on Friday, September 4. He is an executive producer on the film, directed by Rami Kodeih.
Furies follows two sisters who plan to recover their own money after Lebanon’s banking crisis leaves their savings frozen, with the funds needed to pay for life-saving surgery. The film stars Maria Nakouzi and Rym Mroue.
Clooney’s camera stunt added an informal moment to a week otherwise dominated by his lifetime achievement honour and the formal ceremony celebrating his career as an actor, director and producer.
