PARIS: The upcoming 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival is poised to capture attention with a mix of film premieres, star absences due to a Hollywood strike, and the inclusion of controversial directors Roman Polanski and Woody Allen.
Scheduled to commence on Wednesday, the festival has historically served as a significant platform for launching Oscar campaigns, often accompanied by images of celebrities arriving in gondolas.
However, an ongoing strike by Hollywood actors and writers, marking the industry’s largest walk-out in over six decades, means many stars are restricted from participating in publicity work.
Notably absent from their Venice premieres will be Emma Stone, who stars in “Poor Things,” and Bradley Cooper, who directs and stars in “Maestro.” Even though some exceptions have been granted by the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG-AFTRA) for certain films produced outside the studio system, stars like Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz may still opt to stay home in solidarity.
Venice Film Festival To Showcase Famous Films
Despite this setback, the festival will continue to showcase films, with numerous renowned directors competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award, set to be announced on September 9.
Sofia Coppola will present “Priscilla,” a biopic about Elvis Presley’s wife, while David Fincher returns to the festival with “The Killer” after the divisive reception of “Fight Club” over two decades ago.
The strikes have impacted the festival’s opening night film, “Challengers,” a tennis romance starring Zendaya, which has been postponed to next year.
Amid the reduced star buzz, attention is also drawn to the festival’s decision to include controversial figures Woody Allen and Roman Polanski in the out-of-competition section. The festival director, Alberto Barbera, defended their participation, noting that Besson and Allen had been cleared by investigators. While acknowledging the complexity of Polanski’s case, Barbera emphasized the need to distinguish between the individual’s responsibilities and their artistic contributions.
The festival will also showcase out-of-competition premieres of works by acclaimed directors, such as Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” and Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man.”
Hollywood actors embarked on a strike in July due to failed negotiations with studios, joining writers who have been striking since May. The strike centers around issues of dwindling pay in the streaming era and concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence.
