Polish thriller about Afghan man on run is last-minute addition to Venice films up for prize

Polish thriller last-minute addition to Venice

ROME — A Polish thriller about an Afghan man on the run in Europe is a last-minute addition to the films vying for the Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Organizers said Monday that the film, by Jerzy Skolimowski, is called “Essential Killing” and has hardly any dialogue.

It stars Vincent Gallo and French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, and it is about an Afghan man, who is captured by American forces in Kabul and then transported to an unidentified European country.

Italy’s top film festival this year runs from Sept. 1-11 on Venice’s Lido.

Among other films in competition is Sofia Coppola’s comic drama “Somewhere,” and Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.”