The 83rd Venice Film Festival opens on Wednesday and runs until September 12, heralding a star-studded lineup that includes Danny Boyle's opening-night film 'Ink' and Saoirse Ronan's directorial debut, 'Paper Plane,' as reported by The Canberra Times and The Irish Times.
Opening Night and Star Attendees
Danny Boyle's 'Ink,' an adaptation of the acclaimed stage play about the early years of Rupert Murdoch—played by Guy Pearce—and his acquisition of the daily newspaper The Sun, will open the festival. Jack O'Connell and Claire Foy also star in the film, according to The Canberra Times.
George Clooney is expected to be a near-annual fixture at the festival, this time to pick up a lifetime achievement award. He is also a producer on 'Furies,' as reported by The Canberra Times. Ellen Burstyn is also set to receive a lifetime achievement award, with both honors reportedly being Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement, according to The Irish Times.
Other stars expected to attend include Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, Rooney and Kate Mara, Robert Pattinson, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Pamela Anderson, Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Louis Garrel, and Cho Yeo-jeong, as listed by The Canberra Times. The Mara sisters play twins in Werner Herzog's 'Bucking Fastard,' which was filmed in Ireland, according to The Irish Times. Robert Pattinson stars as Chris Hansen, host of the controversial reality-TV show 'To Catch a Predator,' in Lance Oppenheim's 'Primetime.' Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem co-star in Florian Zeller's 'Bunker,' a psychological drama in which they build a survivalist shelter.
Saoirse Ronan's Directorial Debut
Saoirse Ronan's short film 'Paper Plane' will have its world premiere at the festival, as reported by The Irish Times. The film stars Martha Dillon, Clare Dunne, and Tim Creed, and is produced by Keeper Pictures and Una Pictures. Ronan, a celebrated actress, has previously been nominated for four Academy Awards.
The Irish Times also reports that Katie Holly of Keeper returns with coproducer Evan Horan for 'The Pervert's Guide to Utopias,' a film by Sophie Fiennes about Slavoj Zizek.
Competition Highlights
Martin McDonagh's dark comedy 'Wild Horse Nine' is expected to generate plenty of buzz at Venice, according to The Canberra Times. The film stars Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich as a pair of CIA agents dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup that put Augusto Pinochet in power. The cast also features Steve Buscemi and Tom Waits, as reported by The Irish Times.
The festival's jury is headed by actor and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal, as noted by The Irish Times.
Documentaries and Other Films
In the documentary category, Alex Gibney is bringing 'Musk,' his nearly four-hour investigation into the world's richest man, to the festival, according to The Canberra Times. Julia Loktev continues her sprawling portrait of independent Russian journalists in 'My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile.' 'Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger,' directed by Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern, follows the Gallagher brothers during their 2025 reunion tour, as reported by The Irish Times.
Lee Chang-dong's first film in eight years, 'Possible Love,' is also screening.
Controversy Over 'DAU'
Ilya Khrzhanovsky's film 'DAU,' inspired by the lives of Soviet-era scientists, has been at the center of heated discourse, as reported by The Canberra Times. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and the Embassy of Ukraine in Italy questioned its inclusion in the festival, calling it a 'project linked to the Russian state and its networks of influence.' In mid-August, the Ukrainian ministries of culture and foreign affairs issued a joint statement criticizing the inclusion of 'DAU,' saying it was financed by Sergei Adoniev, a Russian businessman sanctioned by both the United States and Ukraine and credibly linked to Putin's regime.
Festival director Alberto Barbera defended its selection, saying it 'is not a Russian film. It is not pro-Putin propaganda. It is a film that denounces totalitarian regimes and their intrusion into citizens' lives to restrict their freedom.' The film is in competition.
Perspectives: Ukrainian Officials and Festival Director
The Ukrainian government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture, criticized the inclusion of 'DAU' in the festival, calling it a project linked to the Russian state and its networks of influence.
Alberto Barbera, the festival director, defended the selection, stating that 'DAU' is not a Russian film or pro-Putin propaganda, but rather a denunciation of totalitarian regimes.