The upcoming Venice Film Festival lineup continues to impress, filled with some of the most highly anticipated films. Additions to the already astounding list including films from; Pablo Larrain, Denis Villeneuve, Derek Cianfrance, Tom Ford, Terrance Malick, and Mel Gibson’s latest, Hacksaw Ridge. These films join the previously announced Damien Chazelle musical La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, which will kick off the festival and Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven which will close this year’s event. The 73rd celebration is dedicated to two recently deceased filmmakers: Michael Cimino and Abbas Kiarostami.
Organizing such an event is no easy task. Artistic Director Alberto Barbera has been at the helm of this event for quite some time, continuing over the years to create the perfect environment for these films to flourish just before award season. Barbera is responsible for the world premieres of Gravity, Birdman, Spotlight and more. 2016 has been a great year for film, in fact, Barbera had to take a list of 1,468 feature films and narrow it down to 56 total, which includes 20 in the competition.
A festival like this is expected to showcase popular titles to open. Some of these films will go on to other festivals and possibly right into the awards season. Premiering at Venice is a fantastic way for studios to get their talent in front of the media. Some actors may have busier schedules than others which aren’t uncommon.
Amy Adams has her work cut out for her as she’s starring in Ford’s Nocturnal Animals and Villeneuve’s Arrival. Natalie Portman is also on double-duty, portraying Jacqueline Kennedy in Larrain’s Jackie and stars in Rebecca Zlotowski’s Planetarium with Lily-Rose Depp. Venice veterans Michael Fassbender and Alica Vikander will premiere Cianfrance’s romantic drama, The Light Between Oceans.
Terrance Malick plans on making a splash with his return to the event with Voyage Of Time. This documentary has made quite a bit of buzz over the years due to some legal issues with the film’s financiers, which resulted in two versions of the film being made. One is a 40-minute IMAX version with narration by Brad Pitt, and the second 35mm feature-length picture voiced by Cate Blanchett. Voyage Of Time is described as a celebration of the universe from its early start to its final moments. A unique idea Malick has had is his back project since the 1970’s. Malick will be showing the Blanchett version of the film.
One film I know I’ll be rushing out to see is Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge. This will be Gibson’s first time at Venice and he’s bringing what looks to be heavy WWII drama starring Andrew Garfield. Lionsgate has set a domestic release for Hacksaw Ridge on November 4th. Deadline reported the film has tested positively with audiences, balancing the drama and action of war perfectly.
Venice is known for bringing talent together from all around the world. Filmmakers from the US will be represented equally across the main sections as well as many European filmmakers. Wim Wenders will bring Les Beaux Jours D’Aranjuez; François Ozon with Frantz; and Emir Kusturica with On The Milky Road.
The list of filmmakers goes on. Seasoned Cannes director, Amat Escalante from Mexico is in competition with La Region Salvaje while the Philippines’ Lav Diaz is coming back to the fest for the third time with The Woman Who Left.
Films are not the only thing to be honored at Venice. Life Time Achievement awards are set to be handed out to Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jerzy Skolimowski. A tribute to Illumination Entertainment’s CEO Chris Meledandri is on the schedule for September 5th. Additionally, an in-house conversation event is scheduled for Sing which will include a screening of footage before it’s world premiere set in Toronto next week. Below is the full list of films to be screened at the 73rd Venice Film Festival. Venice takes place August 31st-September 10th.
OPENING NIGHT FILM
La La Land, dir: Damien Chazelle (in competition)
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
The Magnificent Seven, dir: Antoine Fuqua (out of competition)
VENICE 73 COMPETITION
The Bad Batch, dir: Ana Lily Amirpour (U.S.)
Une Vie, dir: Stéphane Brizé (France/Belgium)
La La Land, dir: Damien Chazelle (U.S.)
The Light Between Oceans, dir: Derek Cianfrance (U.S./Australia/New Zealand)
El Ciudadano Ilustre, dirs: Mariano Cohn, Gaston Duprat (Argentina/Spain)
Spira Mirabilis, dirs: Massimo D’Anolfi, Martina Parenti (Italy/Switzerland)
The Woman Who Left, dir: Lav Diaz (Philippines)
La Region Salvaje, dir: Amat Escalante (Mexico)
Nocturnal Animals, dir: Tom Ford (U.S.)
Piuma, dir: Roan Johnson (Italy)
Paradise, dir: Andrei Konchalovsky (Russia/Germany)
Brimstone, dir: Martin Koolhoven (Netherlands/Germany/Belgium/France/UK/Sweden)
On The Milky Road, dir: Emir Kusturica (Serbia/UK/U.S.)
Jackie, dir: Pablo Larrain (U.S./Chile)
Voyage Of Time, dir: Terrence Malick (U.S./Germany)
El Cristo Ciego, dir: Christopher Murray (Chile/France)*
Frantz, dir: François Ozon (France)
Questi Giorni, dir: Giuseppe Piccioni (Italy)
Arrival, dir: Denis Villeneuve (U.S.)
Les Beaux Jours D’Aranjuez, dir: Wim Wenders (France/Germany)
OUT OF COMPETITION
The Young Pope (episodes 1&2), dir: Paolo Sorrentino (Italy/France/Spain/U.S.)
The Bleeder, dir: Philippe Falardeau (U.S./Canada)
The Magnificent Seven, dir: Antoine Fuqua (U.S.)
Hacksaw Ridge, dir: Mel Gibson (U.S./Australia)
The Journey, dir: Nick Hamm (UK)
A Jamais, dir: Benoît Jacquot (France/Portugal)
Gantz: O, dir: Yasushi Kawamura (Japan)
The Age Of Shadows, dir: Jee-woon Kim (Korea)
Monte, dir: Amir Naderi (Italy/U.S./France)
Tommaso, dir: Kim Rossi Stuart (Italy)
Documentaries
Our War, dirs: Bruno Chiaravalloti (Italy/U.S.)
I Called Him Morgan, dir: Kasper Collin (Sweden/U.S.)
One More Time With Feeling, dir: Andrew Dominik (UK)
Austerlitz, dir: Sergei Loznitsa (Germany)
Assalto Al Cielo, dir: Francesco Munzi (Italy)
Safari, dir: Ulrich Seidl (Austria/Denmark)
American Anarchist, dir: Charlie Siskel (U.S.)
Planetarium, dir: Rebecca Zlotowski (France/Belgium)
VENICE HORIZONS
Tarde Para La Ira, dir: Raul Arevalo (Spain)
King Of The Belgians, dirs: Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth (Belgium/Netherlands/Bulgaria)
Through The Wall, dir: Rama Burshtein (Israel)
Liberami, dir: Federica Di Giacomo (Italy/France)
Big Big World, dir: Reha Erdem (Turkey)
Gukoroku, dir: Kei Ishikawa (Japan)
Maudite Poutine, dir: Karl Lemieux (Canada)
Sao Jorge, dir: Marco Martins (Portugal/France)
Dawson City: Frozen Time, dir: Bill Morrison (U.S./France)
Réparer Les Vivants, dir: Katel Quillévéré (France/Belgium)
White Sun, dir: Deepak Rauniyar (Nepal/U.S./Qatar/Netherlands)
Malaria, dir: Parviz Shahbazi (Iran)
Kekszakallu, dir: Gaston Solnicki (Argentina)*
Home, dir: Fien Troch (Belgium)
Die Einsiedler, dir: Ronny Trocker (Germany/Austria)*
Il Piu Grande Sogno, dir: Michele Viannucci (Italy)*
Boys In The Trees, dir: Nicholas Verso (Australia)*
Bitter Money, dir: Bing Wang (Hong Kong/France)
Dark Night, dir: Tim Sutton (U.S.) – Special screening, out of competition
CINEMA NEL GIARDINO
Inseparables, dir: Marcos Carnevale (Argentina)
Franca: Chaos And Creation, dir: Francesco Carrozzini (Italy/U.S.)
In Dubious Battle, dir: James Franco (U.S.)
The Net, dir: Kim Ki-duk (Korea)
L’Estate Addosso, dir: Gabriele Muccino (Italy)
The Secret Life Of Pets, dir: Chris Renaud, Yarrow Cheney (U.S.)
Robinu, dir: Michele Santoro (Italy)
My Art, dir: Laurie Simmons (U.S.)
BIENNALE COLLEGE CINEMA
Ears, dir: Alessandro Aronadio (Italy)
Hotel Salvation, dir: Shubhashish Bhutiani (India)
One Sister, dirs: Sofia Brokenshire, Verena Kuri (Argentina)
La Soledad, dir: Jorge Thielen-Armand (Venezuela)
VENICE CLASSICS
The Nights Of Zayandeh-Rood, dir: Moshen Makhmalbaf (Iran 1990)
Manhattan, dir: Woody Allen (U.S. 1979)
Pretty Poison, dir: Noel Black (U.S. 1968)
Money, dir: Robert Bresson (France/Switzerland 1983)
Everybody Go Home!, dir: Luigi Comencini (Italy/France 1960)
The Man With The Balloons, dir: Marco Ferreri (Italy/France 1965)
The Brat, dir: John Ford (U.S. 1931)
The Great Sacrifice, dir: Veit Harlan (Germany 1942)
Twentieth Century, dir: Howard Hawks (U.S. 1934)
Legend Of The Mountain, dir: King Hu (Hong Kong 1979)
The Ondekoza, dir: Tai Kato (Japan 1979)
Seven Samurai, dir: Akira Kurosawa (Japan 1954)
An American Werewolf In London, dir: John Landis (UK 1981)
Le Voleur, dir: Louis Malle (France/Italy 1965)
Dark Eyes, dir: Nikita Michalkov (Italy/USSR 1987)
The Battle Of Algiers, dir: Gillo Pontecorvo (Italy/Algeria 1966)
1848, dir: Dino Risi (Italy 1948)
Scent Of A Woman, dir: Dino Risi (Italy 1974)
Dawn Of The Dead (European cut), dir: George Romero (U.S./Italy 1978)
Stalker, dir: Andrej Tarkovskij (USSR 1979)
The City Stands Trial, dir: Luigi Zampa (Italy 1952)
VENICE CLASSICS DOCUMENTARIES
Events In A Cloud Chamber, dir: Ashim Ahluwalia (India)
The Man Came Along – A Conversation With Ermanno Olmi, dir: Alessandro Bignami (Italy)
Bozzetto Non Troppo, dir: Marco Bonfanti (Italy)
Perche Sono Un Genio! Lorenza Mazzetti, dirs: Stefano Della Casa, Francesco Frisari (Italy)
Along For The Ride, dir: Nick Ebeling (U.S.)
A Journey Through 3D Cinema – A Vintage Tale, dir: Jesus Garces Lambert (Italy)
Water And Sugar. Carlo Di Palma, The Colors Of Life, dir: Fariborz Kamkari (Italy)
David Lynch The Art Of Life, dirs: Jon Nguyen, Neergaard Holm, Rick Barnes (U.S/Denmark)
Cinema Futures, dir: Michael Palm (Austria)
The Graduation, dir: Claire Simon (France/Beligum)
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