Francis Ford Coppola has been recruited by the Venice Film Festival to deliver the so-called “Laudatio” speech honoring Werner Herzog during the event’s opening ceremony.

As previously announced, Venice will honor the iconoclastic German director — whose body of work comprises “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” “Fitzcarraldo” and Nosferatu the Vampyre” — with its 2025 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

The award will be presented by Coppola to Herzog during the Venice opening ceremony on Aug. 27.

Coppola was in Italy earlier this month where on Aug. 5 he underwent a non-emergency medical procedure in Rome, related to heart issues.

The festival will open with Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia” that re-teams the Oscar-winning director with “The Great Beauty” actor Toni Servillo.

At Venice,

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