Pablo LarraiÌn's 'Spencer,' Ridley Scott's 'Last Duel' to premiere at Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival unveiled a starry lineup of world premieres for September â including Pablo Larrainâs âSpencer,â starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, and Ridley Scottâs medieval drama âThe Last Duel,â featuring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Adam Driver.
The oldest film festival in the world is kicking off its 78th edition Sept. 1 on the Lido with the premiere of Pedro AlmodoÌvarâs âMadres paralelas,â starring Penelope Cruz. âSpencerâ and âMadres paralelasâ are among 21 features premiering as part of the official competition, which has often helped guide eventual Oscar best picture nominees and even winners.
Other films competing for the Golden Lion include Ana Lily Amirpourâs fantasy âMona Lisa and the Blood Moon,â with Kate Hudson and Craig Robinson; Maggie Gyllenhaalâs adaptation of Elena Ferranteâs âThe Lost Daughter,â starring Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson; Paul Schraderâs crime drama âThe Card Counter,â with Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish, and Paolo Sorrentinoâs âThe Hand of God.â
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Edgar Wrightâs stylish psychological thriller âLast Night in Soho,â with Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, will also have its premiere in Venice out of competition before heading to the Toronto Film Festival.
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Jane Campionâs âThe Power of the Dog,â with Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons; Denis Villeneuveâs adaptation of âDune,â starring TimotheÌe Chalamet, and âHalloween Killsâ were all previously announced as part of the slate. Campionâs film, about brothers in 1920s Montana, is another competition title, and one of two Netflix films debuting at the festival.
Last year, Chloe Zhaoâs âNomadlandâ premiered at the scaled-down but still in-person festival and was awarded the Golden Lion. This year, Zhao will help decide who gets that prize as a member of the main jury led by fellow Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho, who directed âParasite.â
Following on the heels of the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival is expected to mostly return to its full glamour in September. The festival runs through Sept. 11.
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