A view of the main cinema ahead of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. (AP Photo)
The Venice Film Festival begins Wednesday with the world premiere of Paolo Sorrentino’s new film La Grazia. The 82nd edition of the festival is set to showcase Hollywood stars and acclaimed filmmakers over the next ten days.
This year’s lineup includes appearances from George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Dwayne Johnson. Directors such as Guillermo del Toro and Kathryn Bigelow also have films debuting at the festival, held on Venice’s famous Lido.
A New Direction for Sorrentino
La Grazia stars Toni Servillo, Sorrentino’s frequent collaborator. The plot has been kept secret, but early reactions suggest a new direction for the filmmaker.
Festival director Alberto Barbera described the film as unlike anything audiences expect from Sorrentino. “It’s far less baroque and formalistic than his earlier works. It’s a very unexpected story,” Barbera said.
Sorrentino is one of Italy’s most celebrated directors. He won an Oscar for The Great Beauty in 2013 and first premiered at Venice in 2001 with One Man Up. In 2021, his film The Hand of God won the Silver Lion and later received an Oscar nomination.
Spotlight Beyond Cinema
While the spotlight shines on cinema, the festival’s opening was not without political undertones. Anti-war protesters announced plans for a news conference outside the red carpet to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Film poster outside the Excelsior hotel ahead of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Aug 26, 2025. (AP Photo)
Competition for the Golden Lion
La Grazia is competing for the Golden Lion, Venice’s highest honor, alongside 20 other films.
Highlights from the competition include del Toro’s Frankenstein, Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, and Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia. Benny Safdie presents The Smashing Machine, while Kaouther Ben Hania brings The Voice of Hind Rajab.
The selection reflects Venice’s role in spotlighting both established and emerging voices in world cinema.
A Launchpad for Awards Season
Venice is often seen as the starting point for the awards season. Many films that premiere here later win Academy Awards or secure nominations.
The festival, known for combining glamour with groundbreaking cinema, will run through September 6. Screenings, red-carpet events, and cultural conversations are expected to make Venice the center of the film world over the coming days.
