Venice Film Festival lineup arrives with fewer studio movies
Venice’s 83rd lineup is packed with auteur titles and stars, while major Hollywood studio films are thin on the Lido again.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
The Venice Film Festival lineup for its 83rd edition has landed with a familiar talking point: major Hollywood studio movies are scarce, even as the festival prepares to roll out a starry, politically minded selection, according to Deadline.
Venice has recently helped send films including Dune, Joker and Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice into the awards-season bloodstream. This year, Deadline reported, the studio-light pattern echoes what has been seen at Berlin and Cannes.
Venice Artistic Director Alberto Barbera told Deadline he had pursued several titles, including Digger, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, Artificial and Dune: Part 3, but they did not end up in the program. Barbera said it was premature to conclude that Hollywood has given up on festivals.
Why are studio movies missing from the Venice Film Festival lineup?
Barbera told Deadline that individual titles failed to materialize for different reasons, rather than because of one declared studio retreat. The festival chief said the absence should not yet be read as proof that Hollywood is turning away from the fall festival circuit.
The competition lineup still carries plenty of weight. Deadline identified highlights including South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love, Hirokazu Koreeda’s Look Back, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine and Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime, which stars Robert Pattinson.
The red carpet is also set for a strong celebrity turnout. Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem are due with Florian Zeller’s Bunker, while Rooney Mara, Kate Mara and Orlando Bloom are attached to Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, according to Deadline.
Alicia Vikander and Susan Sarandon are listed for The Echo Chamber. Russell Crowe is expected with the documentary What Love Builds, while Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher are set to appear for Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace’s reunion-tour documentary Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger.
How many women directors are in competition?
Deadline reported that Danish-Egyptian filmmaker May el-Toukhy is the only woman director in the 20-film competition, with her post-World War II drama Woman Unknown.
Barbera told Deadline that the selection team searched for female-directed films that could compete for the Golden Lion, but said the level and volume of submissions did not produce a broader field. “This year it’s decreased,” he said, adding that he could not explain the drop because the push for gender equality had appeared to be gaining ground.
The festival news landed in a busy week for the fall circuit. Deadline also reported that the Toronto International Film Festival released its Gala, Special Presentation, Discovery and Primetime selections, while San Sebastian announcements are expected next week.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.