The highly anticipated lineup for the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival is set to be announced on Tuesday at 11 a.m. European time. Venice Artistic Director Alberto Barbera, along with Biennale President Roberto Cicutto, will unveil this year’s titles. The announcement will be streamed live on the official Biennale website, as well as on the festival’s official Facebook page, Twitter feed, and YouTube channel.
Film enthusiasts can also tune in to watch the stream live on various platforms. Deadline will be providing live updates as the names of the Official Selection films are revealed. However, this year’s festival is expected to have a different atmosphere due to the simultaneous strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), with celebrities adhering to the picket lines and staying away from the Lido.
Typically, the festival serves as a glamorous launchpad for U.S. awards contenders and major studio releases, but the strike has disrupted plans for American films hoping to generate buzz. The SAG-AFTRA strike prohibits its members from promoting their projects, leading MGM to withdraw the tennis film “Challengers,” starring Zendaya and directed by Luca Guadagnino, from the lineup. In its place, the festival has selected the Italian WWII movie “Comandante” by Edoardo de Angelis, featuring Pierfrancesco Favino, as the replacement opening film. Netflix’s Spanish survival thriller “La Sociedad De La Nieve” (Society Of The Snow) directed by J. A. Bayona will close the festival.
Given the circumstances, it is expected that European films will have a more prominent presence in this year’s Venice lineup, as SAG-AFTRA members are unable to attend and promote their projects. Nevertheless, several Hollywood titles are already being tipped for inclusion, including Michael Mann’s “Ferrari,” Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” and Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Poor Things,” which is rumored to be a sure bet for the festival. There is also speculation that Netflix may have another major film, David Fincher’s “The Killer,” making an appearance, which would be a significant coup.
The Competition section of the festival will be led by Damien Chazelle, the director of “First Man,” and will feature works by Saleh Bakri, Jane Campion, Mia Hansen-Løve, Gabriele Mainetti, Martin McDonagh, Santiago Mitre, Laura Poitras, and Shu Qi.
The Venice Film Festival will run from August 30 to September 9, offering a diverse selection of films from around the world. Film enthusiasts and industry professionals alike eagerly await the announcement of this year’s lineup, which promises to be an exciting and highly anticipated event.