Cate Blanchett on Venice, virus and why lessons from Italy were not learned

Jury president Cate Blanchett poses for photographers during the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Italy (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Australian actress Cate Blanchett has said she is baffled that other countries did not learn from Italy’s pain to be better prepared to fight the coronavirus outbreak when it spread.

Blanchett, who is heading the jury at the virus-restricted Venice Film Festival, arrived on the Lido wearing a face mask and skipped the typical water taxi photo op that stars have long used.