'Philomena' flies British flag at Venice

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: ROUGH CUT - NO NARRATION

STORY: Judi Dench brought pathos and laughter to Venice on Saturday (August 31) with her performance in the title role of "Philomena", the true story of an Irish woman who searches for the son who was taken from her and sold by the nuns she lived with fifty years earlier. "Philomena", by British director Stephen Frears, is based on the 2009 book "The Lost Child of Philomena Lee", by Martin Sixsmith, which prompted thousands of adopted Irish children and their mothers to come forward and tell their stories. Dench revealed she had to distance herself from her own emotions for the subject matter in order to do justice to her on-screen performance. Meanwhile director Frears raved about working with Oscar winner Dench. "Philomena" is one of 20 films competing for the Golden Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival.