The 83rd Venice Film Festival will debut a diverse slate of films this September, highlighted by a four-hour documentary centered on billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and Martin McDonagh’s darkly comedic thriller about CIA operations in Chile. Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera revealed the competition lineup Thursday, signaling the start of an expansive fall film season that will eventually lead to major Hollywood awards ceremonies.
McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine,” which stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as intelligence operatives operating before the 1973 Chilean coup, ranks among the festival’s most prominent competition entries. The film will compete alongside “Primetime,” which casts Robert Pattinson as “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen, and works featuring Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and other major international talent.
Alex Gibney’s “Musk” documentary and Julia Loktev’s “My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile,” chronicling Russian independent journalists who fled their country, anchor a robust documentary program. Loktev’s work spans 355 minutes, matching the length of its predecessor in depicting the journalists’ experiences abroad.
The festival’s main competition includes Werner Herzog’s “Bucking Fastard,” featuring sisters Rooney and Kate Mara as identical twins, alongside Florian Zeller’s “Bunker” with Bardem and Cruz as a married couple. Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Look Back,” a coming-of-age narrative about aspiring manga artists, and Casey Affleck’s directorial debut “Company” starring Nick Nolte and Ben Mendelsohn round out the eclectic offerings.
Danny Boyle’s “Ink,” an adaptation of James Graham’s stage play dramatizing media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s ascent, will open the festival September 2 and compete for the Golden Lion award. Filmmaker and actor Maggie Gyllenhaal will head the jury, alongside directors Kaouther Ben Hania, Johnnie To and Shahrbanoo Sadat and composer Daniel Blumberg.
Out-of-competition documentary premieres include Barbara Kopple’s “Union Town,” Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s “Everest: The Other Side,” and Wim Wenders’ examination of architect Peter Zumthor. Laura Poitras presents “They’re Here,” a short film documenting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
George Clooney will receive a lifetime achievement award from the festival, reinforcing Venice’s status as a regular destination for the Hollywood veteran. Ellen Burstyn, age 93, will also be honored with a lifetime award, while appearing in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Marilyn Monroe-inspired short “Flesh Impact” alongside Dakota Johnson.
More Stories
USA Today Columnist’s Attack on Caitlin Clark Over Player Safety Claims Lacks Evidence
Mississippi Officials Defend Law Enforcement After NAACP Criticism in Nolan Wells Case
Queens Man Hospitalized After Meat Cleaver Attack in Road Rage Altercation