Alongside the prestigious Cannes, the Venice Film Festival, set to run from August 28 through September 7, remains one of the most enticing platforms for launching award-season contenders. Films that shine on the Lido tend to dominate the narrative until the Oscars in March. This year, the festival boasts a striking mix of major Hollywood productions and captivating international auteur pieces. With an open mind and a willingness to explore, festival-goers never know which films will leave a lasting impression. Here’s a closer look at ten films you won’t want to miss at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
The highly anticipated sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” is set to premiere in competition, rekindling discussions from five years ago. While the first “Joker” was a monumental success, earning over $1 billion and securing 11 Oscar nominations, its follow-up promises a fresh and audacious experience. Venice chief Alberto Barbera lauds it as a dystopian musical that solidifies Todd Phillips as a visionary director. “Joker: Folie à Deux” will hit theaters on October 4.
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín returns with “Maria,” a biographical film centered on the iconic opera singer Maria Callas, portrayed by Angelina Jolie. Larraín, known for his moving portrayals of women with tragic narratives, collaborates with “Peaky Blinders” screenwriter Steven Knight for this project. Callas, who passed away in 1977, remains a bestselling artist in classical music. “Maria” is in competition and is currently seeking distribution.
Director Luca Guadagnino brings “Queer” to the Lido, an adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ novel starring Daniel Craig. The movie tracks an American expat’s drug-fueled adventures in Mexico City and his growing obsession with a young man. Although the novel was written in the early 1950s, it went unpublished until 1985. Previous attempts to adapt the story have been made by Steve Buscemi and Oren Moverman. “Queer” is also on the lookout for a distributor.
Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, has captured festival-goers’ attention despite its vague details. Reportedly about a fraught relationship between an imperfect mother and her daughter due to a deep misunderstanding, the film also touches on themes like war, death, friendship, and the joy of new mornings in a New England home. In addition to its Venice showing, the film will also feature at the New York Film Festival before a December release.
Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl” adds a thrilling romantic tension to the Venice lineup. Nicole Kidman stars as a powerful CEO entangled in an affair with a young intern, played by Harris Dickinson. Also featuring Antonio Banderas, this erotic thriller promises high stakes and deep emotions. A24 has scheduled a theatrical release for December.
Brady Corbet’s “Wolfs,” a 3 1/2-hour epic, chronicles the life of architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) from post-World War II Europe to a new life in America.
. Their encounter with industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) brings transformative highs and lows. Focus Features and Universal are handling distribution, although a release date is yet to be announced.
The nonfiction category in Venice this year is particularly robust. Highlights include Errol Morris’ “Separated,” exploring the Trump administration’s border policy, and Asif Kapadia’s future-looking “2073.” Alex Ross Perry’s hybrid documentary “Pavements,” and Andres Veiel’s “Riefenstahl” are also noteworthy. Yet, the only nonfiction entry in main competition is Wang Bing’s “Youth (Homecoming),” concluding his vérité documentary trilogy on migrant workers in Zhili, China’s textile factories. The film is seeking distribution.
Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s second feature “April” examines the life of OB-GYN Nina, who performs abortions in rural Georgia. When a newborn dies in her care, she becomes the subject of an intense investigation, questioning her morality and professionalism. Following the success of her debut film “Beginning,” “April” is poised to be a breakout film and is set to play at TIFF and the New York Film Festival. The film is currently looking for a U.S. distributor.
Jude Law stars in and produces “Babygirl,” a crime thriller set in the 1980s. Law plays an FBI agent investigating a white supremacist group suspected of committing crimes in the Pacific Northwest. Nicholas Hoult portrays the group’s charismatic leader. Directed by Justin Kurzel, the film is slated for a December theatrical release.
Athina Rachel Tsangari’s “Harvest” revisits medieval England, adapting Jim Crace’s novel into a cinematic experience. The film, featuring Caleb Landry Jones, explores a village’s turmoil and its scapegoating of newcomers during economic strife. Mubi holds distribution rights in several European territories, although U.S. plans remain unconfirmed.
While not a traditional film, Alfonso Cuarón’s upcoming AppleTV+ series will feature prominently this fall. Premiering on October 11, the seven-episode psychological thriller stars Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Blanchett plays a journalist who discovers she’s a character in a novel uncovering her dark secrets.
Overall, the Venice Film Festival’s lineup promises a rich tapestry of storytelling, featuring everything from blockbuster hits to daring indie flicks. Audiences are in for a transformative cinematic experience that sets the stage for the upcoming awards season.
