With director Ang Lee and stars Emile Hirsch, Imelda Staunton and Demetri Martin present, the premier of "Taking Woodstock" last night was an event not to be missed. While the film's mixed reviews were nothing short of extraordinary, on the contrary the crowd's response to the film was a pleasant one. It could have been the fact that it was my first premier and I was not used to sitting in an tuxedo for two hours while watching a film on 1969's Woodstock, but it plainly did not hold my...

Ang Lee is a two-time Golden Lion winner -- in 2005 for "Brokeback Mountain," and in 2007 for "Lust, Caution" -- Lee. Lee, who was born in Taiwan and trained at NYU Film School, is in post on the comedy "Taking Woodstock," based on the memoir about the leadup to the 1969 Woodstock concert by author Elliot Tiber. While fest organizers declined to confirm whether "Woodstock" -- slated by Focus Features for an Aug.14 U.S. release date -- will unspool at the Lido, a Venice bow in an out-of-competit...