Venice that resists
The Venice Film Festival has already reached 81 editions. The 2024 edition is still chaired by Alberto Barberaalways under the aegis of the Biennale, now in the hands of Pietrangelo Buttafuoco (sigh) appointed by the Ministry. There are many interesting films; some are coming out at the same time, others later and several never. We will be able to see announced sequels, more or less faithful biographies, works based on books, auteur cinema, TV series and restored classics. In short, an exhibition more alive than ever, and in times when war surrounds us that is no small thing.
Here is a list of some of the works presented in Venice.
SEQUEL
Coming to theaters on October 2nd Joker – Two-man madnessthe sequel starring Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix, with Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. The direction is still by Todd Phillips. Also Beetlejuice Beetlejuice It is a sequel, of course, always directed by Tim Burton. We see the same actors as 35 years ago, with the addition of Jenna Ortega in the role of Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) daughter. If I may. Chapter II takes Marco Bellocchio back to his childhood home, where he filmed Fists in the pocket.
BIOGRAPHIES
September 5 or how a television team went from sports reporting to terrorism reporting during the tragic Munich Olympics in 1972. Directed by Tim Fehlbaum. Matteo Messina Denaro is told by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza, with Elio Germano in the role of the mafia boss, in He. Future Diva was the name of the casting agency founded in the 80s by Riccardo Schicchi, where Moana Pozzi and Cicciolina passed through, directed by Giulia Steigerwalt. Pablo Larrain, in Mariatells the story of the last days in Paris of the great Callas, played by Angelina Jolie. Valeria Golino is Jackie Kennedy. Francesca Comencini tells the story of her life with her father Luigi during the years of lead in The time it takes. Israeli Amos Gitai presents the project of his new film, Why Warinspired by the correspondence of the same name between Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud. One to One: John & Yoko It is a documentary by Kevin MacDonald and Sam Rice-Edwards that tells the story of the New York life of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
BOOK
Pupi Avati brings his novel to the screen The American Gardenplayed by a great Rita Tushingham. Luca Guadagnino draws inspiration from the travels of the beat generationin particular the one told by William Burroughs in Queer. Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma direct Their children after themwhich tells the story of two teenagers’ summer on a stolen canoe. Based on the novel by Nicholas Mathieu. I’m Still Here by Walter Salles, based on the novel by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, follows the ordeal of a Brazilian activist during the military dictatorship in 1971.
AUTEUR CINEMA
Almodovar lands in Venice with The Room Next Door: A daughter, a mother and a friend, three women with the drama of war in the background. Another conflict, the Great War: two medical officers, childhood friends, the same hospital, two different visions in managing the drama of soldiers and the civilian population. And a cry against all wars comes from Battlefield by Gianni Amelio. In Despite Valerio Mastandrea directs himself by telling the story of the protagonist’s happy hospital stay, shocked by the arrival of an impetuous guest. The eccentric Harmony Korine, in Baby Invasion tells of a future of home invasions in which intruders transform their faces into those of other children, thanks to artificial intelligence. Finally is the new direction by Claude Lelouch (born in 1937). It tells the story of a man who escapes through France: is he a madman, a musician, a priest or a porn director? Brad Pitt and George Clooney together again in a crime film: Wolfs – Lupi solitari by Jon Watts. Urban allegory is a short film by Alice Rohrwacher which features director Leo Carax among the actors. Also noteworthy Broken Ragethe new film by Japanese Takeshi Kitano.
SERIES
TV series are now also arriving at festivals. Among others, it is worth noting Disclaimer by Alfonso Cuaron with Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. So M . The son of the century by Joe Wright, inspired by the work of Antonio Scurati with Luca Marinelli in the role of Mussolini. Sergio Rubini instead tells Leopardi. The Poet of the Infiniteplayed by Leonardo Maltese.
CLASSICS
Among the restored works, you can enjoy the view of The night by Michelangelo Antonioni (1961); the Mahabharata in Peter Brook (1989); Forbidden games by René Clément (1952); The Gold of Naples by Vittorio De Sica (1954); Here’s Bombo by Nanni Moretti (1978); Secret Post-War History: After the Tokyo War by Nagisa Oshima (1970); The hot lover by François Truffaut (1964); Overwhelmed by an unusual fate in the blue sea of August by Lina Wertmüller (1974).
