VENICE, ITALY: The Venice Film Festival kicks off today, signaling the official start of the awards season. With a star-studded lineup that includes names like Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Lady Gaga, this year’s festival promises to be more glamorous than ever before.
Among the highly anticipated films competing for awards are Warner Bros’ “Joker: Folie À Deux,” Pedro Almodovar’s English-language debut “The Room Next Door,” and Angelina Jolie’s “Maria.” These films, along with Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” are all vying for recognition at this prestigious event, known for launching potential Oscar contenders.
While Cannes has traditionally been seen as the first major stop in the awards season, Venice, Toronto, and Telluride have also become key players in the race for awards. However, recent trends show a shift in the status of these festivals as guaranteed predictors of Oscar success, with the past three Best Picture winners not originating from fall festivals.
Venice chief Alberto Barbera is optimistic about this year’s films, singling out “Joker: Folie À Deux,” “Queer,” “Maria,” and “The Room Next Door” as standouts for the Academy Awards. Films like “Dune: Part Two” and “Blitz” are also early favorites for Best Picture, based on bookmakers and awards watchers’ predictions.
In terms of performances, Daniel Craig’s role in “Queer” has been described as a career-best, generating high anticipation among audiences and critics alike. However, some films, like “Maria” and “Queer,” have yet to secure a U.S. distributor despite their high profile at the festival.
One project generating buzz since Cannes is Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here,” a narrative feature that tells a powerful true story set in Brazil during the 1960s military regime. This film reunites Salles with acclaimed actors Fernanda Montenegro and Fernanda Torres, known for their work on previous award-winning projects.
As the festival progresses, films like “September 5” and “Harvest” continue to receive positive feedback, alongside compelling documentaries like “Russians At War” and “Little Jaffna.” Stay tuned throughout the week for updates on which films are gaining traction and which ones are falling short, with coverage from a team of industry experts.