Venice Film Festival: Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton walk socially distanced red carpet

Stars were clad in face masks during the ceremony and while arriving at the event

Tilda Swinton, in Chanel, walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Tilda Swinton poses with her ornate face mask. Reuters

Cate Blanchett, in Esteban Cortazar, walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Festival director Alberto Barbera and Cate Blanchett touch elbows as they arrive for the Opening Ceremony. EPA

Model Taylor Hill, in Etro, walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

Italian actress Anna Foglietta, in Armani, walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

Italian singer Elodie, in Versace, walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

Matt Dillon walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

Lotte Verbeek, in Alberta Ferretti, walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Roberto Cicutto, Joanna Hogg, Matt Dillon, Christian Petzold, Veronika Franz, Alberto Barbera, Cate Blanchett and Ludivine Sagnier walk the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony. Getty Images

Cate Blanchett, second row left, and Matt Dillon, second row right, wear face masks during the Opening Ceremony. EPA

Tilda Swinton is presented with the Golden Lion Lifetime Award by Cate Blanchett during the Opening Ceremony. Getty Images

Tilda Swinton holds her Golden Lion For Lifetime Achievement award. AP

Paola Turani walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Roberta Armani walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Laura Morante walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

Erika Aurora walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Ester Exposito walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. AP

Melita Toscan du Plantier walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Noemi Brando walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Eleonora Gaggero walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Ludivine Sagnier walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Maria Leitner walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Italian singer Diodato walks the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

Sveva Alviti and Anthony Delon walk the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images

Festival director Alberto Barbera and his wife walk the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony during the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2020 in Venice, Italy. EPA

It was a quieter affair than its traditionally glamorous opening ceremony, but the first night of the Venice International Film Festival was still laden with plenty of Hollywood pizzazz.

The 77th iteration of the cinematic festival is one of the first major events to take place since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in noticeably muted proceedings.

And the red carpet certainly looked different this year, with stars arriving in protective face masks, which were temporarily removed for quick photographs.

Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton were two of the biggest names to turn out for the opening ceremony, with the Australian star of The Lord of the Rings presenting the Scottish Snowpiercer actress with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the event.

Scroll through the gallery above for more photographs from the Venice Film Festival 2020 opening ceremony.

"This great festival has been dear to my heart for three decades: to be honoured by her in this way is extremely humbling," Swinton said ahead of the ceremony, when the award was first announced.

"To come to Venice, this year of all years, to celebrate immortal cinema and her defiant survival in the face of all the challenges that evolution might throw at her – as at us all – will be my sincere joy."

Jury member Matt Dillon, model Taylor Hill and Outlander actress Lotte Verbeek also walked the red carpet on the night.

Safety measures introduced for the festival include mandatory face masks, which were worn inside, temperature checks and physical distancing during screenings and on red carpets.

The festival will run until Saturday, September 12.