Discovering the 81st Venice International Film Festival

The Double Expansive Movement of Cinema

One of the central themes of the 81st Venice International Film Festival is what Alberto Barbera has termed the “double expansive movement” of cinema. On one hand, there is a trend towards increasingly shorter films, adapted to new digital platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. On the other hand, there is an expansion in the length of films, with works often exceeding three hours, influenced by TV series and a desire to explore new narrative forms. “The program of the 81st Venice Film Festival offers significant examples of this double expansive movement,” Barbera stated.

81st Venice International Film Festival in Numbers

This year, the official selection includes 83 new feature films, divided among the different sections of the festival:

• 21 in the Venezia 81 (Competition) section
• 21 in the Out of Competition section (11 documentaries and 10 fiction films)
• 19 in the Orizzonti section
• 9 in the Orizzonti Extra section
• 9 in the Venezia Classici – Documentaries on Cinema section
• 4 in the Biennale College – Cinema section

Additionally, there will be 17 short films and 5 TV series, including four high-profile series presented Out of Competition.

Hollywood Stars at the Lido

The 81st Venice International Film Festival is renowned for attracting a significant number of international celebrities, and this year is no exception. Expected stars at the Lido include Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix, Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, Angelina Jolie, Jude Law, Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Monica Bellucci, Michael Keaton and Jenna Ortega.

One of the most anticipated films in competition is “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the musical sequel to Todd Phillips’ 2019 hit, starring Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix. Another highly anticipated title is Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer”, with Daniel Craig  portraying an alter ego of William S. Burroughs, an American expatriate heroin addict living in Mexico. Notable returns to the Lido include Pablo Larraín with “Maria” starring Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas, and Pedro Almodóvar presenting his first English-language film, “The Room Next Door” starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. Director Brady Corbet  also returns with“The Brutalist”, shot in 70 mm and starring Adrien Brody.

Award-Winning Directors and New Discoveries

This year’s Venice International Film Festival selection also features numerous award-winning directors and new talents. First-time participants in the competition include:

• Ludovic Boukherma and Zoran Boukherma with “Leurs Enfants Après Eux”
• Delphine Coulin and Muriel Coulin with “The Quiet Son”
• Maura Delpero with “Vermiglio”
• Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza with “Sicilian Letters”
• Dag Johan Haugerud with “Love”
• Dea Kulumbegashvili with “April”
• Justin Kurzel with “The Order”
• Emmanuel Mouret with “Trois Amies”
• Luis Ortega with “Kill the Jockey”
• Halina Reijn with “Babygirl”
• Giulia Louise Steigerwalt with “Diva Futura”
• Yeo Siew Hua with “Stranger Eyes”

Additionally, six Oscar-winning directors will be present, including Pedro Almodóvar, Alfonso Cuarón, Claude Lelouch, Kevin Macdonald, Errol Morris and Thomas Vinterberg.

Auteur TV Series

The Venice Film Festival has also embraced the TV series format, presenting four high-profile “auteur” series:

• “Disclaimer” by Alfonso Cuarón, with Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline
• “M. Son of the Century” by Joe Wright, with Luca Marinelli, Francesco Russo, Barbara Chichiarelli
• “The New Years” by Rodrigo Sorogoyen
• “Families Like Ours” by  Thomas Vinterberg

Contemporary Themes in Films

Alberto Barbera emphasized that the Venice International Film Festival not only celebrates cinema as an art form but also provides a platform for reflecting on the most urgent contemporary issues. Many of the films in the program address topics such as armed conflicts, climate change, migration, and the rise of populist movements. “Cinema has always been a formidable opportunity, in general, to reflect and mirror the themes related to humanity and, in particular, a mirror of contemporary issues, an open window on continuous conflicts, unresolved contradictions, emerging clashes, and unexpected tragedies looming over the beleaguered planet,” Barbera declared.

Opening and Closing Events

The festival will open with the highly anticipated “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” by Tim Burton, a sequel to the 1988 classic. Michael Keaton returns as the shapeshifting ghoul, joined by a stellar cast including Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe. The closing film will be “L’Orto Americano” by Pupi Avati, a tribute to America through the eyes of an Italian.

The 81st Venice International Film Festival reaffirms its status as one of the most important and anticipated events on the global cinematic landscape. This edition not only reflects current cinema trends but also serves as a window into the world’s problems and challenges, confirming the crucial role of cinema as a tool for reflection and dialogue. Prepare for an extraordinary cinematic experience at the Lido of Venice!