George and Amal Clooney were spotted at their favored Venetian restaurant, Da Ivo, for a dinner hosted by their agency, CAA, and Charles Finch's Finch & Partners. The event took place during the Venice Film Festival, where George Clooney also received a lifetime achievement honor.
Among the guests at the intimate gathering were Clooney's producing partner Grant Heslov, co-head of CAA Media Finance Roeg Sutherland, director Lee Daniels, "Cinema Paradiso" director Giuseppe Tornatore, Mubi CEO Efe Cakarel, photographer Brigitte Lacombe, and artist Marc Quinn. Attendees described the dinner as lively and relaxed, with guests moving between tables.
The dinner preceded a symposium titled "The Future of… Creativity," organized by Finch & Partners and CAA. George Clooney was scheduled to appear at this event alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal, the head of the Venice jury. The symposium was set to explore the impact of rapid cultural and technological changes on creative industries, featuring discussions moderated by journalist Emily Maitlis and hosted by Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera.
Earlier in the festival, Clooney presided over a masterclass, offering career advice. He also confirmed that he would soon begin filming an adaptation of Amy Bloom's memoir "In Love," directed by Paul Weitz and co-starring Annette Bening. The actor had accepted the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement earlier in the week, remarking on the honor with characteristic humor.
Da Ivo holds particular significance for the Clooneys; George Clooney previously used the restaurant for a private reservation while courting Amal, using the code phrase "The Russians are coming!" He also held his bachelor party there with seven friends the night before his 2014 wedding to Amal in Venice. He has been observed interacting warmly with the restaurant's staff on previous occasions.