The Venice Film Festival is set to dazzle with an interesting lineup of A-list talent and high-profile premieres for its 81st edition. The event, running from 28th August to 7th September, promises to bolster its reputation as a prime launchpad for Oscar campaigns and a showcase for the year’s best cinematic works.
Top Celebrities Set to Attend
Among the stars expected to grace the red carpet are Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix, Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Monica Bellucci, Michael Keaton, and Jenna Ortega. These celebrities will be promoting high-profile titles debuting at the Lido’s Palazzo del Cinema.
Key Films in Competition
“Joker 2: Folie à Deux”: Todd Phillips’ sequel to his 2019 Golden Lion-winning “Joker” features Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix. Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera commented on the film’s secrecy, saying, “Nobody can imagine what Todd and his screenwriters have been able to come up with.”
“Queer”: Directed by Luca Guadagnino, this adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ work stars Daniel Craig as a counterculture author battling heroin addiction in Mexico. Barbera praised Craig’s performance as “the performance of his life.”
“The Room Next Door”: Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language film stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. It follows Almodóvar’s “Parallel Mothers,” which also premiered at Venice.
“Maria”: Pablo Larraín’s biopic of Maria Callas features Angelina Jolie. Larraín’s previous biopics “Spencer” and “Jackie” also launched at Venice.
“The Brutalist”: Directed by Brady Corbet, this drama stars Adrien Brody as a Holocaust-surviving architect. The film also features Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.
“The Order”: Australian director Justin Kurzel’s film stars Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult, focusing on a white supremacist organization in the 1980s.
Notable Out-of-Competition Premieres
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”: Tim Burton’s sequel to his 1988 classic will open the festival. Michael Keaton returns as the titular character, joined by Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Jenna Ortega.
“Wolfs”: Directed by Jon Watts, this action comedy pairs George Clooney and Brad Pitt as fixers forced to collaborate on a high-profile crime cover-up.
“Baby Invasion”: Harmony Korine’s home invasion thriller involves mercenaries using baby faces as avatars.
Television Series Highlights
“Disclaimer”: Alfonso Cuaron’s Apple TV+ series stars Cate Blanchett as an investigative journalist entangled in a story exposing her darkest secrets.
“M. Son of the Century”: Joe Wright’s drama chronicles Benito Mussolini’s rise to power and is part of the festival’s rich TV series offerings.
International and Diverse Entries
The festival features a wide array of films from different countries, including:
France: Emmanuel Moret’s romantic comedy “Trois Amies” and Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma’s coming-of-age drama “And Their Children After Them.”
Italy: Five entries, including Gianni Amelio’s World War I drama “Battlefield” and Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza’s “Sicilian Letters.”
Norway: Dag Johan Haugerud’s “Love,” a follow-up to “Sex.”
Greece: Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Scotland-set neo-Western “Harvest.”
The festival will see a significant Arab presence with Mehdi M. Barsaoui’s drama “Aïcha” and Scandar Copti’s “Happy Holidays.” Egypt returns to the official selection with “Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo” by Khaled Mansour.
Isabelle Huppert will preside over the main jury at this year’s festival, ensuring a high standard of adjudication. The Venice Film Festival 2024 promises to be an unforgettable celebration of cinema, packed with talent, glamour, and groundbreaking films.
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