The anticipation for the 81st Venice Film Festival is palpable as cinephiles around the world eagerly await the unveiling of this year's lineup. With a mix of seasoned auteurs and fresh talent, Venice 2024 promises to be a cinematic feast. Here's a sneak peek at the films and directors that are poised to make headlines.
One of the most buzzed-about films is Brady Corbet's “The Brutalist.” Corbet, who previously premiered “Vox Lux” at Venice in 2018, returns with a film that boasts a stellar cast including Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, and Joe Alwyn. “The Brutalist” follows visionary architect László Toth and his wife Erzsébet as they flee post-war Europe in 1947 to rebuild their legacy in America. The film's intriguing premise and Corbet's reputation make it a strong contender for a competition slot.
French cinema will also make a notable appearance despite expectations of fewer entries this year. Francois Ozon's “When Fall Is Coming” is one to watch, although specifics about its Venice slot are still under wraps. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Mouret's “Une Chose et Son Contraire,” which was offered a Cannes Premiere slot but chose Venice instead, is set to captivate audiences. Additionally, Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma's “Their Children After Them” could surprise festival-goers with its presence on the Lido.
From Asia, Yeo Siew Hua's “Stranger Eyes” has impressed Venice programmers and is likely to feature in the lineup, though its competition status remains uncertain. The film's innovative storytelling and regional significance make it a noteworthy entry.
Germany's Tom Tykwer, known for classics like “Run Lola Run” and “Cloud Atlas,” makes a major comeback with “The Light” (Das Licht). Set in present-day Berlin, Tykwer's film paints a portrait of a modern family navigating collapse and renewal amidst contemporary societal issues. This film could be a significant milestone in Tykwer's career, marking his first directorial effort since 2016's “Hologram for a King.”
Steve McQueen's enigmatic project “Blitz” remains shrouded in mystery. Despite persistent inquiries, there is still no concrete information on its festival plans. Given its setting and potential, a premiere at the London Film Festival seems plausible, especially as Apple considers its distribution strategy for a significant US theatrical run.
Venice 2024 is shaping up to be a spectacular showcase of global cinema, blending the familiar with the new. With directors like Corbet, Ozon, Tykwer, and McQueen bringing their latest works, the festival is set to offer a diverse array of stories and styles. As we count down to the event, the excitement continues to build, promising a festival that will captivate and inspire audiences worldwide.
LATEST VENICE COMPETITION PREDICTIONS:
Luca Guadagnino's “Queer”
Pablo Larrain's “Maria”
Todd Phillips' “Joker: Folie a Deux”
Lucrecia Martel's “Chocobar”
Mike Leigh's “Hard Truths”
Walter Salles's “I'm Still Here”
Julian Schnabel's “In the Hands of Dante”
Brady Corbet's “The Brutalist”
Francois Ozon's “When Fall Is Coming,”
Michel Franco's “Dreams”
Sebastian Lelio's “The Wave”
Tom Tykwer's “The Light”
Dea Kulumbegashvili's “Those Who Find Me”
Emmanuel Mouret's “Une Chose et Son Contraire”
Pietro Marcello's “Duze”
Kiyoshi Kurosawa's “Cloud”
Zoran Boukherma's “Their Children After Them”
Maura Delpero's “The Mountain Bride”
Yeo Siew Hua's “Stranger Eyes”
That's 19 titles, two of them are Italian (Delpero and Marcello). There are usually 4-5 Italian films that crack the competition. I figure the following are top contenders …
Gianni Amelio's “Battlefield”
Gabriele Salvatores' “Napoli”
Marco Tullio Giordana's “The Life Apart”
Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza's “Iddu”
Uberto Pasolini's “The Return”
Paolo Gep Cucco and Davide Livermore's “The Opera!”
Non-Italian possibilities for Venice …
Steve McQueen's “Blitz”
Rodrigo Prieto's “Pedro Paramo”
Hong Sang-soo's “Untitled”
Athina Rachel Tsangari's “Harvest”
Justin Kurzel's “The Order”
Xavier Beauvois' “La Vallée des fous”
Robert Guédiguian's “La Pie Voleuse”
RaMell Ross' “The Nickel Boys”
Joshua Oppenheimer's “The End”
Andrew Patterson's “The Rivals of Amziah King”
Jon Watts' “Wolfs”
David Gordon Green's “Nutcrackers”
Jeremy Saulnier's “Rebel Ridge”
Wei Shujun's “Untitled”
Aleksandre Koberidze avec David Koberidze's “Dry Leaf”
Malcolm Washington's “The Piano Lesson”
Robert Zemeckis' “Here”
Aude-Lea Rapin's “Planete B”
Fabrice Du Welz's “Maldoror”
Harmony Korine's “Baby Invasion”
Guillaume Senez's “Une Part Manquante”
Kirill Serebrennikov's “The Disappearance”
Wei Shuju's “Sunshine Club”
Hikmat Rahimov's “Apathy”
