Nicole Kidman Misses Venice Awards Ceremony Following Her Mother’s Death — Watch Halina Reijn Read Her Statement

Babygirl writer-director Halina Reijn accepted Nicole Kidman‘s Best Actress accolade at the 81st Venice International Film Festival awards ceremony on the star’s behalf, as the Oscar winner had to step away from the event following her mother’s death.

“Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed,” the Bodies Bodies Bodies filmmaker said in a statement prepared by Kidman, to audible gasps from the audience.

She continued reading, “I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. I’m beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.”

Reijn concluded, “We love you all, Nicole. Thank you.”

Babygirl, the erotic thriller starring Kidman alongside Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness), premiered last week at Venice, landing with a seven-minute standing ovation from viewers. The buzzy A24 film follows Kidman’s high-powered executive who puts her life’s work (and relationship with on-screen husband, played by Antonio Banderas) on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern. The movie will next be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival before releasing in the U.S. on Christmas Day.

Speaking to press at Venice, Kidman called her experience making the film “very freeing,” saying, “The film is obviously, yes, about sex, it’s about desire, it’s about your inner thoughts, it’s about secrets, it’s about marriage, it’s about truth, power, consent … This is one woman’s story, and I hope a very liberating story. It’s told by a woman through her gaze … and that’s to me what made it so unique was that suddenly I was going to be in the hands of a woman with this material and it was very deep to share those things and very freeing.”

Babygirl debuted with strong reviews out of Venice, with Deadline’s reviewer writing, “Kidman really goes the distance” in a dedicated performance, which will likely stoke Academy Award noise.

Watch the statement be read in full below: