Why Venice is this year's most important film festival
Scott Roxborough
August 28, 2024
The 81st Venice Film Festival is the can't-miss event for movie fans in 2024. It will feature impressive feature debuts and the return of cinema superstars.
A-list stars like Angelina Jolie, here playing Maria Callas in "Maria," are set to light up the 81st Venice Film Festival after a subdued 2023 editionImage: Pablo Larrain
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Stand back, Cannes, because Venice will be taking your crown this year.
The 81st Venice Film Festival, which runs from August 28 to September 7, can lay claim to being the biggest, most important, and just plain coolest film festival of 2024.
Here's why Venice will be the can't-miss movie event of the year.
Movie stars are back, baby.
Last year's actors strike left red carpet gawkers starved of celebrity spottings, but Venice 2024 will be a VIP feast.
The long list of A-list stars includes Brad Pitt and George Clooney, in town for Jon Watts's action comedy "Wolfs" in which they play competitive crime scene cleaners forced to work together.
The likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Lady Gaga are set to inject star power into the quest for the prized Golden Lion Image: Keystone USA/dpa/picture alliance
Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore return to the canals for "The Room Next Door" from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, and Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix are set to tap and shimmy their way across Venice as DC villains Harley Quinn and Joker in "Joker: Folie á Deux."
It is the sequel to Todd Phillips's "Joker" from 2019, which also premiered in Venice, winning the Golden Lion for best film.
Add in a very un-James Bond turn from Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino's "Queer"; Angelina Jolie in Pablo Larrain's "Maria;" Nicole Kidman, Antonio Banderas in "Babygirl" from Dutch director Halina Reijn; and the cast of Tim Burton's opening night film "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" — which includes the stars of the original 1988 film Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara together with newcomers Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, and Italian legend Monica Bellucci. That will be enough stars to crash Instagram.
"It looks like it will be the most crowded red carpet we've had in a decade," says festival director Alberto Barbera.
80th Venice Film Festival: A less starry affair than usual
With the ongoing Hollywood strikes, the festival will see fewer US actors and writers in attendance and a spotlight instead on European offerings.
Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Shadowed by the Hollywood strikes
The 80th Venice International Film Festival will see fewer renowned luminaries from Hollywood, given the ongoing strikes by the actors' and screenwriters' unions. This was illustrated by the T-shirts donned by this year's jury members, filmmakers Laura Poitras and Martin McDonagh, during a photocall at the festival's opening on August 30.
Image: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
Putting on the brave face
Due to the strikes, Italian director Luca Guadagnino's "Challengers" had to postpone its big premiere. The film, which stars Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, was previously announced to kick off the 80th annual festival. But the Oscar-nominated "Call Me By Your Name" director nevertheless showed up on the red carpet; as a producer, he is showcasing two other works at the Venice film fest.
Image: Mario Cartelli/SOPA Images/ZUMA/picture alliance
A silver lining?
The strikes could also prove to be the opportunity for European filmmakers to enjoy the spotlight. Edoardo De Angelis' Italian World War II submarine drama "Comandante," which is running in competition, enjoyed its world premiere screening after taking over the slot vacated by Guadagnino's film.
Image: Yara Nardi/REUTERS
Not entirely devoid of big names
Damien Chazelle, who is president of the Venice jury this year, has previously opened the Venice International Film Festival with his films on two occasions: In 2016 with "La La Land" and in 2018 with "First Man." "La La Land" received 14 Academy Award nominations, winning six, including the award for best director, making the then 32-year-old the youngest filmmaker ever to win the coveted Oscar.
Image: Guglielmo Mangiapane/REUTERS
First female winner of Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
Italian filmmaking legend Liliana Cavani has been awarded the Golden Lion award for her life's work. "I'm the first female person to receive this award. There are women writers and directors who are working as well as men. It's not quite right if we don't give them a chance to be seen," she said. The 90-year-old's new film, "The Order of Time," is running out of competition at the festival.
Image: Yara Nardi/REUTERS
Powerful words
English actor and Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling presented the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Liliana Cavani, who directed the 1974 psychosexual Holocaust drama "The Night Porter" that starred Rampling and Dirk Bogarde. In a powerful speech dedicated to Cavani, Rampling said, "From the early 1960s, Cavani has been forcing us to confront the beautiful, the ugly and the unresolved."
Image: Simone Comi/IPA/ABACA/picture alliance
Eye-catching shoes
While this year's red carpet in Venice might lack the usual pizazz and viral fashion of previous editions, actor Charlotte Rampling's shoes were an eye-catcher. The 77-year-old elegant minimalist and icon accessorized her elegant black dress with a pair of funky shoes that featured circular acrylic heels.
Image: Cinzia Camela/LPS via ZUMA/picture alliance
Red on red
Italian model Mariacarla Boscono also made a striking appearance on the red carpet on opening night, channeling Little Red Riding Hood with a fiery red diaphanous Dolce & Gabbana outfit. She accessorized it with matching thigh-high stocking boots and sheer red gloves for dramatic effect.
Image: Hubert Boesl/dpa/picture alliance
Recognition for 'unique and unmistakable style'
Another big name on the attendance list: cult director Wes Anderson. He will be awarded the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award on Friday, before the screening of his new film which is out of competition, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar." Known for films like "Grand Budapest Hotel" and "Rushmore," Anderson's latest is a short film based on a story by author Roald Dahl.
Image: picture alliance / Pacific Press
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Oscar bait galore
Venice has long usurped Cannes as the launchpad for Oscar winners, with Barbera knowing how to pick films the Academy will go wild for.
Best Picture winners "Birdman," "Spotlight," "The Shape of Water," and "Nomadland," all got their start in Venice, as did award-season champs "The Favourite," "Dune," "The Whale" and "Poor Things," among many others.
This year, Oscar handicappers will find out if Angelina Jolie hits the high notes playing opera legend Maria Callas in "Maria"; if the magic of Almodóvar's Oscar-winning Spanish films ("Volver," "Talk to Her") gets lost in translation with "The Room Next Door," his English-language feature debut; and if Joaquin Phoenix, who won the 2020 Best Actor Oscar for "Joker," can again dazzle the Academy as the clown prince of crime.
The reprise of the Oscar-winning "Joker" will make its debut in Venice Image: Warner Bros.
Venice's political agenda
It won't be all razzle-dazzle on the Lido. The Venice line-up includes some of the most politically relevant movies and documentaries of the year, films certain to contribute to the public debate.
They include "September 5," a docu-drama from German filmmaker Tim Fehlbaum that recreates the terrorist attacks on the 1972 Munich Olympics — in which Israeli athletes were taken hostage. The film tells the story from the perspective of the US TV sports journalists who were there to cover the games.
Andres Veiel, one of Germany's most acclaimed documentarians, takes on one of Germany's most infamous historical figures in "Riefenstahl," an examination of Leni Riefenstahl, the director of the Nazi propaganda films "Triumph of the Film" and "Olympia."
Riefenstahl, who died in 2003 at age 101, always denied she knew anything about Hitler's concentration camps and the Holocaust.
"Riefenstahl" documents the filmmaker's close relationship with Hitler, as illustrated in this archival imageImage: Bayrische Staatsbibliotek Bildarchiv
But Veiel, who had new access to her archives for his documentary, finds evidence that suggests Riefenstahl was a devoted Nazi.
Beyond the history lesson, Veiel sees "Riefenstahl" as an example of the "seduction of fascism," which, with the rise of the far-right across Europe, shows a frightening topicality.
And Joe Wright, director of "Atonement" and "The Darkest Hour," examines the origins of fascism in "Son of the Century," a TV series that premieres in Venice and traces the rise of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Given the current Italian government is the most far-right since Il Duce's, the show will be the talk of the town.
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Steaming up the big screen
Debates around #MeToo and intimacy coordinators haven't stopped the world's oldest film festival from "getting pretty steamy this year," according to actor Drew Starkey, who stars as Daniel Craig's lover in "Queer" — an adaptation of the pretty explicit William S. Burroughs novel about American GIs in Mexico in the 1950s.
Nicole Kidman and "Triangle of Sadness" actor Harris Dickinson get it on in "Babygirl," which director Halina Reijn says was inspired by 90s erotic thrillers like "Basic Instinct," "Fatal Attraction" and "9 1/2 Weeks."
Nicole Kidman is back in Venice for her lead role in the drama, "Babygirl"Image: Niko Tavernise/A24/AP/picture alliance
Kidman plays a high-powered CEO who puts her career and family on the line to begin a torrid affair with her much younger intern.
And "Love," a film by Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud, looks at singles trying to find spontaneous intimacy through Tinder hookups on a ferry to Oslo. Venice could be an ideal date night for film fans tired of a tepid diet of family-friendly Disney films.
Scandal, sweet scandal
What would a film festival be without the scandals? Social media lives for these viral moments of gossip, and Venice 2024 will offer plenty of opportunity.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, engaged in a bitter, years-long divorce, will walk the Venice red carpet.
Who will be the next James Bond?
Speculation over who will follow Daniel Craig as 007 has been rife. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been rumored to have been offered the role of the MI6 agent.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Pedersen
Aaron Taylor-Johnson: The favorite
It has been reported that 007 producers had made a "formal offer" to Aaron Taylor-Johnson to become the next James Bond, following veteran Daniel Craig. The "Tenet" actor has since distanced himself from the rumors, though he also suggested in a "Rolling Stone UK" interview that it was simply too early to talk about it.
Image: Oscar Gonzalez/Sipa USA/picture alliance
Bond 007: Daniel Craig
"No Time to Die" was Bond veteran Daniel Craig's last spy film and the 25th in the 007 series produced by Eon Productions. It was his fifth and final portrayal of the fictional British MI6 agent. Beyond Taylor-Johnson, who else has been considered to take over?
Image: James Shaw/Avalon/Photoshot/picture alliance
Lucky charm: Cillian Murphy
Oscar-winning "Oppenheimer" star Cillian Murphy has slipped down the pecking order it would seem in recent weeks, but still has an outside chance of being the first Irish Bond. At least we know he can put on an accent, as ably demonstrated in his Brummie role in "Peaky Blinders."
Image: Thomas Bohlen/Starface/IMAGO
Outside bet: Damian Lewis
As soon as reports started spreading that Daniel Craig wanted out, everyone started speculating on who would become the next 007. People even started betting on it. "Homeland" star Damian Lewis was among the early bookmakers favorites, but has since faded away.
Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire/picture alliance
A female option: Gillian Anderson
Is the world ready for a Ms. Bond? Even if she's unsuccessful in nabbing the role of the famous British spy, the prospect of a female Bond is certainly an intriguing one. The "Sex Education" therapist definitely has the charisma and sex appeal needed for the character.
Image: Andrew Cowie/AFP/Getty Images
Long shot: David Beckham
Even if the rumors seem a little far-fetched, some fans still hold out hope that the former soccer star will take on the role. The ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid footballer may look the part in a tuxedo — but can he act?
Image: Getty Images/AFP/K. Wigglesworth
Slick style: Idris Elba
Famous for his iconic depictions of drug lord Stringer Bell in the TV series "The Wire" and detective John Luther in "Luther," this charismatic Golden Globe-award winner knows how to handle a gun. He got turned off from the idea, however, when the discussion only "became about race," he said in 2023, which made the "whole thing disgusting and off-putting."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Invision/T. Jewell
Robbie Williams
Another outsider, the pop star has already demonstrated his affection for Bond in the 1998 song, "Millennium." In the video, Williams parodied 007, dressed in a tuxedo, driving an Aston Martin, surrounded by beautiful women in fluffy negligees. The singer has since matured, with gray streaks. But maybe it only adds to the allure. Whether a singing Bond can save the world is another question.
Image: Jens Niering/picture alliance
Muscled acting: Tom Hardy
Eddie Brock/Venom from the "Venom" films was another favorite among bookies. From "Black Hawk Down" to "Mad Max," Hardy has starred in all kinds of action films, and even in a Cold War espionage movie, "Tinker Tailor Solider Spy," so he's got enough experience for the role. He's got style, too, and has landed on different lists of sexiest men alive. Enough said.
Image: Chris Chew/UPI Photo via Newscom/picture alliance
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Travis Scott, recently arrested in Paris during the Olympics, is expected to swing by to check out Harmony Korine's "Baby Invasion," an experimental film that features the hip-hop star.
And Joaquin Phoenix will have a hard time dodging questions at the "Joker: Folie á Deux" press conference about his sudden decision to drop out of Todd Haynes's untitled gay romance project just days before shooting began in Mexico — a decision that reportedly cost millions and could lead to a lawsuit.
Even mostly scandal-free George Clooney could be in the Venice hot seat, thanks to a mini-feud with Quentin Tarantino. The "Pulp Fiction" director supposedly claimed Clooney was "not a movie star," Clooney fired back: "Dude, F*** Off!"
Brad Pitt: Acting's great all-rounder
From bittersweet romances to action comedies and his new thriller, "Bullet Train," Brad Pitt has displayed his diverse talents across more than 30 films.
Image: David Niviere/picture alliance/abaca
'Interview with the Vampire' (1994)
Dark, morbid and poetic: The film adaptation of Anne Rice's novel was arguably Brad Pitt's international breakthrough. He plays a vampire who is about 200 years old and feels pity for his victims, a story he chronicles to a reporter. In the other leading roles: Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst, who was only eleven at the time.
A serial killer plays a brutal game of cat and mouse with a young detective (Pitt) and his partner Sommerset (Morgan Freeman) in a rainy US city. He stages the seven deadly sins with his murder victims, and eventually turns Mills into a murderer himself with his cruelest "coup." An ingenious mixture of horror, thriller and film noir.
Image: picture alliance/United Archives
'Sleepers' (1996)
After a tragically failed prank, four boys end up in a home where they are severely abused by the wardens. Years later, two of the four boys track down and shoot their most hated tormentor and end up in court. The prosecutor is the third of the group (Pitt), who, together with the fourth, a journalist, does everything in their power to lose the case and take revenge on the other perpetrators.
Image: picture alliance/United Archives
'Seven Years in Tibet' (1997)
In the role of the Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, Brad Pitt once again impressively shows that he is more than a blond pretty boy: His character is rugged, cold, lonely and vulnerable. Commissioned by the Nazis to climb Nanga Parbat in the Himalayas, Harrer falls into British captivity, manages to escape and meets the young Dalai Lama. A deep friendship develops.
The narrator (Ed Norton) is a frustrated office worker who meets a charismatic anti-consumerist, Tyler Durden (Pitt). He encourages Pitt to beat him up, before the two roam the city looking for more men who want to engage in bare-knuckle fistfights. A secret "fight club" is founded, where men fight each other and return to everyday life feeling stronger. But Durden has bigger plans.
Image: Mary Evans Picture Library/picture alliance
'Ocean's Eleven' (2001)
The three-part "Ocean's" series got off to a furious start in 2001 with a star-studded cast. Brad Pitt plays Rusty, one of the eleven crooks around Danny Ocean (George Clooney) who want to rob the biggest casino in Las Vegas. With the stellar leads, casually elegant production, fast cuts and the jazzy, funky soundtrack, director Steven Soderbergh delivered perfect popcorn cinema.
Image: picture alliance/United Archives
'Troy' (2004)
A genuine sandal film was apparently still missing from Brad Pitt's repertoire. In "Troy," inspired by Homer's Greek hero saga "Iliad" and shot by German director Wolfgang Petersen, Pitt plays the strong man Achilles. Pitt convincingly portrays the warrior with his heroics but also his human side.
Image: picture alliance/United Archives
'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' (2005)
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," in which the future spouses both played assassins. Their profession is so secret, however, that neither are aware that the other is a killer. Until, without suspecting it, they are ordered to hit each other. Pitt and Jolie became a Hollywood dream couple after the filming, but in 2016, Jolie filed for divorce.
Image: picture alliance/Captital Pictures
'Inglorious Basterds' (2009)
Quentin Tarantino's classic comedic war film brought together German, Austrian and US actors in a unique ensemble cast. Pitt (right) plays a Nazi hunter in World War II who leads a squad of underground fighters. He encounters the Nazi commander Landa (Christoph Waltz), who is as cruel as he is smart, and of whom he makes a bloody example at the end.
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'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood' (2019)
This Tarantino film won Brad Pitt an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It follows an aging Western star (Leonardo di Caprio) and his stunt double Cliff (Pitt) for 24 hours through Hollywood in 1969, and throws everything in: Drugs, alcohol, hippies and a murderous family, which also provides a classic Tarantino bloodbath at the end.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo
'Bullet Train' (2022)
Hitman Ladybug (Pitt, left) is supposed to do a job on a Japanese bullet train. Unfortunately, he has colleagues on board who get in his way. They each have their own job, but they all seem to have something to do with each other. That's why the hellish journey doesn't end at the final station. The film will be released in German cinemas on August 4.