The Venice Film Festival has ended but netizens are still buzzing about the awards ceremony, especially the awkward interaction between Chinese star Zhang Ziyi, 45, and French actor Vincent Lindon when she presented the Best Actor trophy to him.
Vincent, 65, won the award for his performance in The Quiet Son, about a father and son separated by their political ideologies.
When accepting the award from Ziyi, the pair shook hands and air kissed, which is pretty common.
However, when Vincent leaned in for the second kiss, he planted a smooch on Ziyi’s cheek, leaving her visibly surprised and uncomfortable.
In a video that has been circulating on Weibo, Ziyi could be seen pulling back slightly and her expression appeared somewhat awkward. But she quickly composed herself and flashed a polite smile.
And when the pair posed for photos on stage, Vincent appeared to have placed his hand on Ziyi’s lower back, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
Netizens had plenty to say about Vincent, with many criticising the actor for getting “handsy”.
There were comments like “This old guy is so disgusting,” “That cheek kiss made her very uncomfortable,” and “Zhang Ziyi’s expression shows she was obviously holding back.”