Along with Cannes, the Venice Film Festival, running from August 28 through September 7, is one of the most glamorous launching pads for awards season. The films that do well on the Lido will dominate conversations all the way until the Oscars in March.
This year’s lineup showcases a mix of big Hollywood offerings and an extensive selection of intriguing films from auteurs globally. Among the notable Hollywood mentions are “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2,” and “Wolfs.” As always, film festivals call for an open mind, where catching as many films as possible can lead to unexpected discoveries. However, here are ten films sparking excitement at Venice this year.
A sequel that promises to reignite the fervor of its predecessor is “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Regardless of where you stood on the “Joker” discourse five years ago, bringing the sequel back to Venice for competition signals high expectations. The first “Joker” film grossed over $1 billion and secured 11 Oscar nominations. According to Venice chief Alberto Barbera, “Joker: Folie à Deux” is a dystopian musical that differs significantly from the original. Barbera describes it as “one of the most daring, brave, and creative films in recent American cinema,” which reaffirms director Todd Phillips as a leading creative force in contemporary filmmaking. The film is slated for an October 4 theatrical release.
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, known for his compelling biopics like “Spencer” and “Jackie,” returns with “Maria.” This film, scripted by Steven Knight of “Peaky Blinders” fame, stars Angelina Jolie and revisits opera singer Maria Callas’ tumultuous life. Callas, known for her affair with Aristotle Onassis who later married Jacqueline Kennedy, remains one of classical music’s best-selling artists despite passing in 1977. “Maria” is in competition and currently seeking distribution.
Luca Guadagnino reappears at Venice with “Queer,” adapted from William S. Burroughs’ novel and starring Daniel Craig. Barbera commended Craig’s performance as “career-defining.” The story follows an American expatriate in Mexico City who becomes obsessed with a young man. Though “Queer” was written in the 1950s, it wasn’t published until 1985, and has seen various adaptation attempts by directors like Steve Buscemi and Oren Moverman. The film is also looking for distribution.
Pedro Almodóvar, making his English-language debut with “A Manual for Cleaning Women,” brings Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton together on screen. Although plot details are sparse, the film reportedly revolves around a strained mother-daughter relationship, accentuated by a “profound misunderstanding.” Besides familial themes, the film touches on war, death, friendship, and sexual pleasures. It will also be shown at the New York Film Festival before its December release.
Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn, who directed the hit “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” returns with “Babygirl,” an erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson.
. Kidman plays a powerful CEO who engages in an affair with Dickinson’s younger intern character, with Antonio Banderas in a supporting role. A24 plans to release the film theatrically in December.
Brady Corbet’s ambitious 3.5-hour drama “The Brutalist” follows architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) as they flee post-WWII Europe for a new life in America. There, Toth intersects with industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), who commissions him to design a monumental project, altering their lives in unexpected ways. Though Focus Features and Universal are distributing the film, it has yet to secure a release date.
In the nonfiction domain, several innovative offerings stand out: Errol Morris’ “Separated” examines the Trump administration’s border policy; Asif Kapadia’s “2073” looks ahead; “Pavements,” Alex Ross Perry’s hybrid documentary about Stephen Malkmus’ band; and Andres Veiel’s “Riefenstahl.” However, only one documentary made it to the main competition: Wang Bing’s “Youth (Homecoming).” This film concludes his verité trilogy, documenting the lives of migrant workers in Zhili, China over five years. It is seeking distribution.
Georgian filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili’s “April” focuses on Nina, an OB-GYN in rural Georgia, who performs abortions despite legal constraints. When a newborn in her care dies, rumors and an investigation challenge her morality and professionalism. Following the success of “Happening,” which won Venice’s top prize three years ago, “April” is a significant contender. It is also set to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the New York Film Festival (NYFF).
Jude Law produces and stars in “True Things About Me,” a crime thriller set in the 1980s, portraying an FBI agent investigating a white supremacist group linked to several crimes in the Pacific Northwest. Nicholas Hoult co-stars as the group’s leader, under the direction of Justin Kurzel. The film is slated for a December release.
Athina Rachel Tsangari returns to the main competition with “Harvest,” an adaptation of Jim Crace’s novel. Set in a medieval English village, the story depicts local people scapegoating three newcomers during economic distress. Caleb Landry Jones stars in the film, recently promoting “Dogman” with a Scottish accent likely for this role. Mubi holds distribution rights in several European territories, but U.S. plans remain unannounced.
Adding a twist to the lineup, director Alfonso Cuarón presents “Disclaimer,” a seven-episode psychological thriller series starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Premiering on AppleTV+ on October 11, Blanchett’s character, a journalist, discovers that she is the subject of a novel revealing her dark secrets, blurring lines between fiction and reality.
With such a plethora of high-caliber films across diverse genres and topics, the Venice Film Festival promises an exciting precursor to the awards season, offering audiences a first glimpse at potential Oscar contenders.
