Sydney Sweeney cuts a casual figure in a black tracksuit as she leaves the Venice Film Festival with fiancé Jonathan Davino
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the world and opens its 80th edition on Wednesday.
Here’s everything you need to know…
When does the Venice Festival take place?
The festival will open on August 30 with the premiere of the Italian World War II film Comandante, directed by Edoardo De Angelis. The event runs through September 9 and concludes with Spanish-language Netflix drama Society of the Snow.
Where does it take place?
The festival takes place on Venice Lido – known as Venice Beach – a thin barrier island in the Venice Lagoon, just a short boat ride from the capital, Venice. Unlike Venice itself, cars have access to the Lido.
WHY IS IT SO WATCHED?
The festival marks the start of awards season and regularly produces big favorites for the Oscars. Eight of the last eleven Best Director awards at the Oscars have gone to films that premiered in Venice.
Traditionally, film stars and directors like to travel to the lagoon city to present their films.
However, there will be a little less glitz this year than usual as the Hollywood actors’ strike will prevent many stars from promoting their work.
WHICH FILMS WERE SELECTED FOR THE FESTIVAL?
The official selection of the films shown consists of several categories, with those competing for the coveted Golden Lion at the top.
This year’s 23 candidates are, in order of performance:
Commander, directed by Edoardo De Angelis
El Conde Directed by Pablo Larrain
Dogman Directed by Luc Besson
Ferrari Directed by Michael Mann
The Promised Land directed by Nikolaj Arcel
Poor Things Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Finally Dawn. Directed by Saverio Costanzo
Maestro. Director: Bradley Cooper
Adagio directed by Stefano Sollima
The Theory of Everything, directed by Timm Kroger
The Killer, directed by David Fincher
The beast. Directed by Bertrand Bonello
Evil Doesn’t Exist Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Priscilla, directed by Sofia Coppola
Green Border, directed by Agnieszka Holland
Enea, Pietro Castellitto
Provenance, directed by Ava DuVernay
Me, Captain, Directed by Matteo Garrone
Lubo, directed by Giorgio Diritti
Holly, directed by Fien Troch
Woman Of directed by Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert
Memory, Directed by Michel Franco
Hors Season, directed by Stephane Brize
ARE BIG FILMS SHOWN OUT OF COMPETITION?
Like other festivals, Venice reserves a number of places for interesting films that are screened out of competition.
This year’s offerings include The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial from US director William Friedkin, who passed away this month; Coup de Chance, Woody Allen’s first French-language picture; “The Palace” by Roman Polanski; The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, a short film directed by Wes Anderson; Aggro Drift directed by Harmony Korine and starring rapper Travis Scott.
