“Dune” Highlights Venice Film Festival’s Lineup

The 78th Venice Film Festival‘s official lineup has been announced, and it includes some of the most eagerly-anticipated blockbusters and some of the smaller but no less intriguing indies preparing for release. Venice follows Cannes, that other dazzling European film festival, and it’s nice to see that the competition between the two is back after the pandemic forced Cannes to cancel last year (Venice, meanwhile, managed to be the only top-tier festival to manage a physical event in 2020.)

Arguably the biggest film in Venice’s lineup is Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Dune, 

Oscar Winner Chloé Zhao Returns to Venice as Jury Member

After winning Best Director and Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, Chloé Zhao is returning to the festival that started her epic run through awards season. Zhao will head to the Venice Film Festival this year as a member of the fest’s main jury, after bringing her award-devouring film Nomadland to the Lido last year.

Zhao joins Parasite director Bong Joon Ho, who is leading this year’s jury.

Review Roundup: Critics Hail the Breathtaking Beauty of Roma

Roma made a predictably elegant debut at the Venice Film Festival last night, dazzling critics. Phrases like “achingly beautiful” and “engrossing” were used to describe the semi-autobiographical work.

The audience in Venice obviously got to experience Cuarón’s work on a theater screen, which is how the director intends the film to be viewed. However, Roma’s theatrical run will coincide with its release on Netflix. That gives audiences the potential to view the piece on their 4-inch phone screen,

Everest Opens Venice Film Festival With Thrills & Chills

The 72nd Venice Film Festival got off to a thrilling, chilling start with Baltasar Kormakur’s Everest. The 3D drama premiered out of competition at the festival, the first of several high-profile U.S. films playing alongside films by a slew of international superstar directors.

Described by The Hollywood Reporter’s chief critic Todd McCarthy as a “gripping and immersive dramatization of a tragic trek,” Everest follows the real life account of a deadly 1996 expedition by two different climbing teams during one of the mountain’s legendarily brutal storms.

Sizzling Venice Lineup Includes Black Mass, Everest & Beasts of No Nation

Between September 2nd and October 11th, four major film festivals take place, each with their share of major world premieres. Venice runs from September 2-12, Telluride from September 4-7, Toronto from September 10-20, and finally New York, from September 25 to October 11. It's sort of insane to think that in a little over a month this many major films, many of them likely to end up vying for Oscars, will be seen in such a glut.

54 World Premieres Highlight 71st Venice International Film Festival

The 71st Venice Film Festival officially opens the fall festival season on August 27, followed just two days later by the Telluride Film Festival and, six days after that, the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF). There’s been a bunch of press lately over the recent announcement by TIFF’s artistic director, Cameron Bailey, that from now on only world premieres and North American premieres would be allowed to screen during the festival’s all-important first four days.

Talking With Legendary Director William Friedkin

William Friedkin, legendary director of The French Connection (1971), which won him the Best Director Oscar, and The Exorcist (1973), one of the greatest horror films of all time, recently published his memoirs, The Friedkin Connection, a candid look at his early life and his long movie career.

We caught up with him as he was touring the country to promote his book,

Venice Film Fest Trivia

In honor of the Venice Film Festival—and the official kick-off to the 2012 film fest season—this week’s quiz honors movies that have been awarded and/or recognized at the VFF.

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