The Venice Film Festival commenced on Wednesday, welcoming a host of Hollywood luminaries to Italy’s glamorous cinematic event. This year’s festival features a robust selection of star-studded films, all competing for the spotlight amid ongoing protests regarding the Gaza conflict.
Julia Roberts and George Clooney stand out as prominent figures at the 82nd iteration of the world’s longest-running festival, alongside esteemed directors such as Kathryn Bigelow and Jim Jarmusch, all set to grace the sandy shores of the Lido across the picturesque Venice lagoon.
During the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, a highlight was the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement award by Francis Ford Coppola to renowned German director Werner Herzog, celebrated for his extensive body of work that includes over 70 films such as “Grizzly Man” and “Fitzcarraldo.”
Herzog, known for his quest for the “sublime” in filmmaking, is set to present his latest documentary, “Ghost Elephants,” which explores the story of a lost herd in Angola, this Thursday.
On Wednesday, the first main in-competition film showcased was “La Grazia,” directed by Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino. The narrative centres on an Italian president who is confronted with uncertainties regarding the decision to endorse a euthanasia bill.
“Reflecting on uncertainty and subsequently allowing that uncertainty to evolve into a conclusion is becoming increasingly uncommon,” Sorrentino remarked to reporters.
The film “Mother,” which portrays Mother Teresa as a complex and at times ruthless character grappling with her perspectives on motherhood and abortion, made its debut in the secondary Orizzonti section.
All eyes were on Hollywood’s beloved leading man, Clooney, as he disembarked from a water taxi in Venice alongside his wife, Amal, on Tuesday.
On Thursday, audiences can look forward to the premiere of the Netflix-produced comedy “Jay Kelly,” directed by Noah Baumbach. In this film, he portrays a top Hollywood actor grappling with an identity crisis.
On the same evening, the highly anticipated premiere of the sci-fi comedy “Bugonia” will take place, directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. The film features Emma Stone in the role of a pharmaceutical executive who is abducted by individuals who mistakenly believe she is an extraterrestrial being.
Roberts is set to make her debut at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, showcasing the out-of-competition drama “After the Hunt,” directed by Italy’s Luca Guadagnino, which tackles themes of cancel culture.
The festival’s esteemed Golden Bear award has a history of propelling its recipients toward Oscar success, with notable examples including “Nomadland” and “Joker” in recent years.
A demonstration in support of Palestine took place, drawing attention to the ongoing conflict and the plight of the Palestinian people.
While the festival and its jury president, Alexander Payne, known for “Sideways,” aimed to highlight the lineup of films set to make their world premieres over the next 11 days, the press conference on day one was largely overshadowed by global events.
Demonstrators displayed a “Free Palestine” banner outside the main building of the festival, as a collective of Italian film industry professionals urged organisers to denounce Israel’s invasion and siege of Gaza publicly.
In Venice, a coalition of hundreds of local political and rights organisations has organised a demonstration set for Saturday, aimed at condemning Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The festival’s director, Alberto Barbera, expressed to reporters a profound sense of “huge sadness and suffering vis-a-vis what is happening in Gaza and Palestine.” However, he dismissed the idea of withdrawing invitations extended to pro-Israeli actors.
The ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel, which has persisted for nearly two years, was a significant topic of discussion at the Cannes film festival in May. There, hundreds of figures from the film industry signed a petition expressing their “shame” regarding the industry’s “passivity” in response to the conflict.
The festival has chosen to feature a film centred on the theme of war in its main competition: “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” directed by Franco-Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania. The film poignantly reconstructs the tragic death of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who lost her life last year at the hands of Israeli forces.
Frankenstein
The upcoming premieres at the Venice Film Festival feature Guillermo del Toro’s high-profile remake of “Frankenstein,” which stars Oscar Isaac, alongside Kathryn Bigelow’s political thriller “A House of Dynamite,” featuring Idris Elba.
In a striking casting decision, British actor Jude Law is set to take on the role of Vladimir Putin in Olivier Assayas’s “The Wizard of the Kremlin.” Meanwhile, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will portray mixed martial arts champion Mark Kerr in the highly anticipated “The Smashing Machine,” directed by Benny Safdie.
Jim Jarmusch makes his debut in the main lineup at the Venice Film Festival with “Father Mother Sister Brother,” featuring a star-studded cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver, and Tom Waits. Meanwhile, Shu Qi, a model and actress originally from Taiwan, steps into the director’s chair for her first film, “Nuhai (Girl).”
