There are five Italian films in competition at the Venice Film Festival which will be held from 31 August to 10 September. Edition number 79 which coincides with an important anniversary, the ninety years since the first Film Festival which was held atHotel Excelsior del Lido from 6 to 21 August 1932. "An event - recalls the president of the Biennale Roberto Cicutto - which made the history of cinema and officially recognized it as the seventh art ”.

The beautiful reminds us of it this year's official poster signed by the Italian illustrator and author Lorenzo Mattotti. Elegant and refined, it represents a "Lioness - these are the words of Mattotti himself - that soars high and offers us this anniversary, the 90th ". But there is a second anniversary, the ten years of activity of the Biennale College Cinema which, Cicutto explains, "It has concretely contributed to its history by looking to the future and acquiring the experience derived from new technologies and a new syntax ”.

Venice Film Festival - event logo

Italian films competing for the Golden Lion

Here are the five Italian films that will compete for the Golden Lion. The lord of the ants by Gianni Amelio, drama film inspired by a well-known court case from the XNUMXs. The immensity by Emanuele Crialese marks the great return of this director who has been absent from Venice since 2011. A very personal film that tells the story of a teenager. Luca Guadagnino, perhaps the most cosmopolitan Italian director, brings in competition to Venice bones and all. An all-Italian production with an extraordinary cast that tells a little-known America, the story of two teenagers on a road trip. The film is dedicated to the character of Santa Chiara Chiara by Susanna Nicchiarelli, a film that throws an unprecedented light on the figure of this Saint often obscured by that of Saint Francis. Fifth film in competition, a film shot entirely in the United States, Monica by Andrea Pallaoro, the story of a young woman who after a long time returns home to the Midwest to take care of her sick mother.

Venice Film Festival - poster with Alberto Barbera
Alberto Barbera presents the 79th Venice Biennale International Film Festival

Among other Italian productions at the 79th Venice Biennale International Film Festival, the film out of competition Drought by Paolo Virzì, collective film with a great cast that sees among others Monica Bellucci, Claudia Pandolfi, Valerio Mastrandrea, Silvio Orlando. And On the road, by Gianfranco Rosi. The story of Pope Francis' travels around the world. The documentary opens a window on a little known Bergoglio. Among the short films out of competition there is also a film produced by Emergency, A war over by Simone Massi, accompanied by the voice of Gino Strada.

A documentary on Ukraine and a film by the Iranian Golden Lion Jafar Panahi

And speaking of war, the one in Ukraine will be among the central topics of this Film Festival, which sees the Biennale at the forefront in defense of the Ukrainian people. Among the documentaries out of competition, Freedom on fire: Ukraine's fight for freedom by Evgeny Afineevsky. A film shot since the beginning of the war. As pointed out by the artistic director of the exhibition Alberto Barbera, "The exhibition is an open window on contemporary reality, even the most dramatic". With this in mind, the film Well Bears, by the Iranian director Leone d'Oro Jafar Panahi, arrested by the regime last July 11 and who will have to serve six years in prison.

The 79th Venice Film Festival will be opened by the film in competition White Noise, written and directed by Noah Baumbach, which will be screened on August 31 in the Great Hall of the Palazzo del Cinema. Pre-opening on August 30 with a still top secret film. President of the jury will be the American actress Julianne Moore. Godmother of the event was the Spanish actress Rocio Munoz. Meanwhile, work is already underway at the Lido to set up the venues for the exhibition, which are increasingly subject to investments and technological upgrades every year.

Five Italian films in competition at the Venice Film Festival last edit: 2022-07-27T09:30:00+02:00 da Cristina Campolonghi

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