Wicked and powerful women took the Venice Film Festival by storm Thursday with a viciously funny British period comedy, "The Favourite," already being talked of as an Oscar contender. With controversy raging over why only one female director has been chosen to compete for the Golden Lion top prize, films by or about women are the talk of the festival.

The Hollywood Reporter declared it one of the hottest independent films of the year so far, and not just for its earthiness.

"Gravity" and "Harry Potter" director Alfonso Cuaron's new film "Roma," his most personal and touching, which he set in the home he grew up in, also drew a long ovation.

The film by young French filmmaker Elsa Amiel has Scotland's Peter Mullan playing her manager.

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