The iconic Venice Film Festival is back, drawing some of Hollywood’s brightest stars and the most anticipated films of the year to Italy’s floating city. Kicking off this Wednesday and running until 6 September, the festival remains one of the most prestigious cinematic events in the world, second only to Cannes in terms of glamour and influence.
Founded in 1932 by La Biennale di Venezia, the festival began as a non-competitive event, screening classics like Grand Hotel and It Happened One Night. It became an annual affair in 1935 and soon established its reputation as a tastemaker for world cinema. The coveted Golden Lion award, introduced in 1949, has since honoured masterpieces such as Rashômon (1951), Belle de Jour (1967), Brokeback Mountain (2005), and more recently Poor Things (2023).
Interestingly, suspicions of fascist influence during the late 1930s led to the creation of the Cannes Film Festival as an alternative. Despite this, Venice endured and today stands as a critical launchpad for awards season, often predicting Oscar success.
This year’s edition runs from 27 August to 6 September. Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia opens the festival, setting the tone for a week of red-carpet glamour and cinematic brilliance.
Prepare for a star-studded lineup: Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Emma Stone, Dwayne Johnson, Adam Sandler, and Idris Elba are among the big names. For Roberts, starring in the #MeToo-themed drama After the Hunt, it marks her Venice debut. Johnson, too, will walk the Lido red carpet for the first time, having transformed for his role as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine.
Other notable attendees include Cate Blanchett, Andrew Garfield, Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Ayo Edebiri, Amanda Seyfried, Jude Law, and Jesse Plemons. This year’s lifetime achievement awards go to Kim Novak, the legendary star of Vertigo, and celebrated filmmaker Werner Herzog.
Netflix is back with a vengeance, bringing three strong contenders: Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Kathryn Bigelow’s political thriller A House of Dynamite, and Noah Baumbach’s dramedy Jay Kelly. Other films in competition include Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia starring Emma Stone, Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, and Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice.
Beyond the main slate, the out-of-competition buzz is equally strong, with titles like Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, Sofia Coppola’s fashion documentary Marc by Sofia, and Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire.
Venice has become an unofficial Oscars launchpad, especially since Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity premiered here in 2012 before sweeping seven Academy Awards. Since then, Birdman, The Shape of Water, and Nomadland all had Venice debuts before claiming Best Picture. Last year’s edition featured several eventual winners, solidifying its position as a key awards-season player.
Unlike the postcard-perfect canals of Venice, the festival unfolds on the Lido, an 11-kilometre barrier island just a short vaporetto ride away. Once a 12th-century military outpost, it evolved into a luxury resort by the 19th century and now serves as the glamorous backdrop for the cinematic showcase.
The Hotel Excelsior remains the festival’s most iconic stay, though stars often retreat to other luxury spots like the Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Gritti Palace, or Aman Venice for privacy. Red-carpet arrivals via private water taxi are a Venice tradition, making those dockside photo moments almost as famous as the films themselves.
This year’s main competition jury is headed by filmmaker Alexander Payne and includes an international mix of directors and actors. The Golden Lion and other top honours will be announced on 6 September.
From cinematic artistry to Hollywood glamour, the Venice Film Festival remains an unmissable celebration of global cinema—one that shapes awards season and captivates audiences worldwide.