Dhaka, Sept. 5 -- The red carpet at this year's Venice Film Festival is proving to be unlike any before it, with celebrities arriving on the island of Lido in face masks and gowns to a muted reception.

The 77th edition of the festival is one of the first major cultural events to take place in Europe since the coronavirus pandemic took hold on the continent, with the Cannes Film Festival canceling its 2020 event in May.

"We are not proud to be the first, after the forced pause, to be able to do so," said Roberto Cicutto, president of festival organizer La Biennale di Venezia, in an online statement. "But we are proud of having shown... that it can be done, putting in place all the safety measures and presenting a program that has little ...