Cartier has converted a milestone sponsorship into a visible cultural play at Venice by launching the Cartier Cinema Club, and it marked the move with cocktails and dinner at the Gritti Palace. Guests arrived by water taxi, stepped onto the palace dock and climbed to the terrace for an evening that paired theatrical dressing with brand-led programming.
Emma Corrin arrived in a slinky black camisole dress by Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford, wearing a diamond-studded Panthère de Cartier earring and bracelet, and joked about festival glamour and summer heat. “Only in Venice is when you’re at the most glamorous event, but it’s the middle of summer, so you’re sweating through everything you own,” she said, laughing. Kate Mara, fresh from her premiere of Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, chose a high-neck Gucci dress encrusted with crystals and described the novelty of arriving to a waterborne premiere. “I don’t have any secret spots here in Venice to share with you because this is only my second time here,” she said, then added, “It’s pretty special to arrive at your premiere on the water, though.”
All eyes turned to Amal Clooney, who wore a red draped chiffon gown with a chrysoprase, coral, and diamond Cartier pendant. She noted the festival’s personal resonance, saying she and George Clooney had returned to places tied to their wedding after he received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the opening gala on Wednesday night. “Only at the Venice Film Festival can I watch amazing movies, but also be in the most romantic place in the world and relive some incredible moments,” she said.
The terrace moved from drinks to a candlelit Italian seafood dinner, with amberjack, lobster, and pineapple carpaccio set amid tablescapes of anthuriums and Cartier red pompon dahlias. Arnaud Carrez, Cartier’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, spoke to guests to restate the house’s commitment to the festival and to introduce the Cinema Club as part of that pledge.
The evening later shifted to the roof terrace for cocktails and a DJ set spun from vinyl, while conversation threaded through the crowd about the previous night’s premiere of Wild Horse Nine and John Malkovich’s rising awards buzz. Anticipation also centred on Cartier’s staged La La Land concert at Teatro La Fenice, marking the film’s 10th anniversary, and composer Justin Hurwitz described conducting an orchestra for that event as “an absolute dream come true.”
Cartier’s activity on the Lido will extend beyond its social nights, with planned masterclasses featuring director Chloé Zhao and Hamnet cinematographer Łukasz Żal, and the announcement that Luca Guadagnino will receive the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the Palazzo del Casino. For returning clients and other attendees, the Gritti Palace gathering served as both a reunion and a public signal that Cartier intends to broaden its cultural footprint at Venice across programming, awards and curated events.
