Venice film festival 2009: The love story so far

The Road is John Hillicoat's adaptation of the post-apocalyptic Cormac McCarthy novel about a world overrun by famine and cannibals. All smiles, then, for Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee, who plays his son Photograph: Andrea Merola/EPA

More odd bonhomie: director Todd Solondz and Shirley Henderson, star of the fun-sounding Life During Wartime Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

Solondz snuggles up to other leading lady Charlotte Rampling Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

A similar double-date situation for Salman Rushdie - here striking a pose with Romanian actor Monica Birladeanu Photograph: Claudio Onorati/EPA

Then tripping down the red carpet with an unnamed friend Photograph: Graham Whitby Boot/Allstar

Composer Ennio Morricone however is a one-woman man, despite imploring groupies Photograph: Tony Gentile/Reuters

Ditto Werner Herzog, here trying to convince wife Lena this is a bash worth bothering with Photograph: CLAUDIO ONORATI/EPA

Director Sam Taylor-Wood, here with Aaron Johnson, who stars in her forthcoming John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, is concerned about her frock. It may be red, but is it really glitzy enough for Venice? Photograph: Graham Whitby Boot/Allstar

Elisabetta Gregoraci has the answer. Even QPR owner Flavio Briatore looks sheepish to be standing next to her. Might it be because he's left his slippers on? Photograph: Graham Whitby Boot/Allstar

More couples. Resourceful actor Maria Grazia Cucinotta has brought along a hankie just in case Venice's film fest director Marco Mueller dribbles Photograph: Claudio Onorati/EPA

Jury members Sandrine Bonnaire and screenwriter Anurag Kashyap bond on the red carpet Photograph: DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images

Likewise Le Ombre Rosse stars Valentina Carnelutti and Luca Lionello Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP

But what's this? Valentina spreads the love with director Francesco Maselli Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP

Also at the festival is Eva Mendes, who stars in Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant remake, ready with her bib for all that noshing Photograph: Luca Ghidoni/Luca Ghidoni/FilmMagic.com

A full-length bib, too - off she hops into a water taxi. Is she actually going to eat in there? Photograph: ALESSANDRO BIANCHI/Reuters

Yep, a waiter goes in to take her order Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Here's Gabriel Garko, an Italian actor, in case you hadn't guessed Photograph: Venturelli/Venturelli/WireImage.com

And this is what an Italian director looks like: jury member Luciano Ligabue Photograph: Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images

This is what a son of the Italian president looks like: Piersilvio Berlusconi Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

And this is how photographers choose to shoot Erik Gandini, the director of a documentary criticising Berlusconi. See what they've done there? Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP

Wong Kar-wai keeps focused - there's a lot of films to get through yet Photograph: Domenico Stinellis/AP

While the dreamy Venice atmosphere looks to be getting to Jury president Ang Lee Photograph: Claudio Onorati/EPA

Aha! Might actor/director Liliana Cavani have something to do with it? Photograph: Claudio Onorati/EPA