The Venice International Film Festival unveiled a starry lineup of world premieres for September - including Pablo Larrain's 鈥淪pencer,鈥 starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, and Ridley Scott's medieval drama 鈥淭he Last Duel,鈥 featuring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Adam Driver.
The oldest film festival in the world is kicking off its 78th edition Sept. 1 on the Lido with the premiere of Pedro Almodovar's 鈥淢adres paralelas,鈥 starring Penelope Cruz. 鈥淪pencer鈥 and 鈥淢adres paralelas鈥 are among 21 features premiering as part of the official competition, which has often helped guide eventual Oscar best picture nominees and even winners.
Other films competing for the Golden Lion include Ana Lily Amirpour's fantasy 鈥淢ona Lisa and the Blood Moon,鈥 with Kate Hudson and Craig Robinson; Maggie Gyllenhaal's adaptation of Elena Ferrante's 鈥淭he Lost Daughter,鈥 starring Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson; Paul Schrader's crime drama 鈥淭he Card Counter,鈥 with Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish, and Paolo Sorrentino's 鈥淭he Hand of God.鈥
Edgar Wright's stylish psychological thriller 鈥淟ast Night in Soho,鈥 with Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, will also have its premiere in Venice out of competition before heading to the Toronto Film Festival.
Jane Campion's 鈥淭he Power of the Dog,鈥 with Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons; Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of 鈥淒une,鈥 starring Timothee Chalamet, and 鈥淗alloween Kills鈥 were all previously announced as part of the slate. Campion's film, about brothers in 1920s Montana, is another competition title, and one of two Netflix films debuting at the festival.
Last year, Chloe Zhao's 鈥淣omadland鈥 premiered at the scaled-down but still in-person festival and was awarded the Golden Lion. This year, Zhao will help decide who gets that prize as a member of the main jury led by fellow Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho, who directed 鈥淧arasite.鈥
Following on the heels of the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival is expected to mostly return to its full glamour in September. The festival runs through Sept. 11.