Hollywood heads to Venice’s ‘mega Mostra’ film frenzy

August 28, 20242 Mins Read

French actress Isabelle Huppert is set to preside over the jury of the annual Venice International Film Festival, which begins on Wednesday, attracting a slew of Hollywood stars.

Expected attendees include Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Lady Gaga, Daniel Craig, and Brad Pitt, bringing a much-needed dose of Hollywood glamour to “La Mostra”, the world’s longest-running film festival.

Last year’s event was notably dimmed by Hollywood strikes, which kept many studio films and their stars away.

This year, the festival opens with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the highly anticipated sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic.

The film, featuring returning stars Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder, is not in contention for the top Golden Lion prize.

American actress Sigourney Weaver, famed for her role in Alien, will be honoured with a Golden Lion for lifetime achievement during Wednesday’s opening night.

A total of 84 films are included in the official 2024 selection, with competitions across five categories, including one for immersive cinema.

Films in competition

High-profile contenders for the Golden Lion include Joker: Folie à Deux by Todd Phillips, a sequel to his 2019 Venice-winning film that pairs Joaquin Phoenix with Lady Gaga.

Another standout is Queer from Italian director Luca Guadagnino, starring Daniel Craig and based on the William Burroughs novel set in 1940s Mexico City.

The main competition also features The Room Next Door, the first English-language film from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore.