Erika Aurora walks the red carpet at the 77th Venice Film Festival on Wednesday. Photo: VCG

 The Venice Film Festival opened Wednesday with a tribute to those who lost their lives from coronavirus as the event sought to kick-start an industry still reeling from the effects of the crisis. 

The festival, rolling out on the glitzy beachfront Lido through September 12, is the first major international festival to take place since COVID-19 shuttered theaters, halted production and drove millions of moviegoers around the world to their television sets.  

Although the scaled-down event will offer less red-carpet glamour in 2020, with most of Hollywood's A-listers staying away due to travel restrictions, organizers hope the movies themselves will take center stage as the film industry makes tentative steps to regain its footing.

President of the jury, Australian actress Cate Blanchett, saluted the work of the festival's organizers at the opening ceremony.  

"We are here and we did it," said Blanchett in Italian, before switching into English. 

"Being here tonight seems like some kind of wondrous miracle," said the Academy Award-winning actress, her jury seated in the theater's first row of seats due to coronavirus regulations. 

Italian actress Anna Foglietta, host of the ceremony, gave an impassioned tribute to the victims of coronavirus and the doctors, nurses and medical professionals who sought to save lives during the pandemic, which has killed over 35,000 people in Italy. 

The festival held annually on the swanky Lido will in 2020 award its top prize, the Golden Lion, to one of 18 films in the main competition.

Organizers of the festival are taking a high-risk bet that they can safely run the festival despite coronavirus cases on the rise in Italy and neighboring European countries.

Strict safety measures are in place, from mask wearing to social distancing within cinemas, to the decision to ban fans from the red carpet.

On Tuesday, workers finished last-minute projects, as dozens of red safety signs were installed throughout the venue, underscoring the peculiarity of 2020's event. 

Festival Director Alberto Barbera acknowledged some jitters on the eve of the opening. 

"I'm excited and I'm a little bit anxious," Barbera, neatly turned out in a pressed blue suit despite the heat, told AFP on Tuesday. 

In May, Barbera made the decision to go ahead with "La Mostra" - now in its 77th year - despite film festivals around the world opting to cancel, including Venice's French rival, the Cannes Film Festival.

"We feel a responsibility to be the first. We knew Venice will be sort of a test for everyone," he said.

About 6,000 people are expected to turn out for the event - about half the festival's usual number - as border restrictions around the globe have limited the ability of many to travel.

Fans hoping to get an autograph or snap a selfie with their favorite stars are likely to be disappointed. 

The red carpet now includes a newly erected wall in the spot where fans have always congregated behind barriers to watch the parade of celebrities.
Newspaper headline: First Steps