VENICE, Italy (AP) 鈥� The 81st edition of the is underway, with major Hollywood films and stars arriving in Italy. The festival kicked off Wednesday with the before it opens in theaters worldwide next week.
Here鈥檚 everything you need to know.
What is the Venice International Film Festival?
One of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, second only Venice's festival is also technically the oldest. It is now a reliably starry affair, gathering some of the best films in international cinema. It was established in 1932, then a non-competitive event, by the La Biennale di Venezia, hosting films like 鈥淕rand Hotel鈥� and 鈥淚t Happened One Night.鈥� By 1935, they decided to make it an annual happening.
The Golden Lion award wouldn鈥檛 be introduced until 1949 (鈥淩ash么mon鈥� won in 1951). Other winners throughout history include 鈥淏elle de jour鈥� (1967), 鈥淎u revoir les enfants鈥� (1987), 鈥淏rokeback Mountain鈥� (2005), 鈥淪omewhere鈥� (2010) and, last year: A film market was added in 2012, also a year that festival director Alberto Barbera attributes to its turnaround as an important destination for awards hopefuls.
When is the Venice Film Festival?
The festival kicked off on Aug. 28 with the premiere of 鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice鈥� and runs through Sept. 7, when the awards will be announced.
Who鈥檚 going to Venice this year?
The private water taxis are going to be packed with some of Hollywood鈥檚 biggest stars. Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, , Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Daniel Craig, Tilda Swinton, Jude Law, Julianne Moore, Kevin Costner and Joaquin Phoenix are just a few of the names expected to grace the festival this week.
It is a relief to many after last year鈥檚 festival took place amid the , leaving the red carpets more muted than usual. While this year doesn鈥檛 have much in the way of teenage idols (past years have had Harry Styles and Timoth茅e Chalamet attracting a certain frenzied fandom), we can be assured of some great movie star moments.
What are the biggest and buzziest films?
Among the biggest titles in competition: Todd Phillips鈥� 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux鈥�; Pablo Larra铆n鈥檚 Maria Callas film 鈥淢aria,鈥� starring Jolie; the erotic thriller 鈥淏abygirl鈥� starring Kidman and Harris Dickinson from Halina Reijn; Luca Guadagnino鈥檚 William S. Burroughs adaptation 鈥淨ueer,鈥� with Craig and Jason Schwartzman; and Pedro Almod贸var鈥檚 first English-language film, 鈥淭he Room Next Door,鈥� starring Moore and Swinton.
There are also a few big Hollywood films playing out of competition: 鈥淲olfs,鈥� with Pitt and Clooney, and 鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice.鈥� The AP鈥檚
Any potential drama?
Behind the scenes, there might be some competition for private water taxis to shuttle the A-listers between their various engagements, or for the best suites at the Belmond Cipriani, but so far has bubbled up. Remember, though, in the middle of the festival. Something is bound to catch the internet鈥檚 eye.
But aren鈥檛 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the midst of a contentious divorce?
The pair are legally single but are over issues like custody, finances and a winery in France. And the festival has taken care to schedule their films (and arrivals and departures) days apart to avoid any overlap. As Barbera told Vanity Fair: 鈥淎ngelina will be on the first day, on Thursday the 29, and she will leave right after with Pablo Larra铆n to go to Telluride. So Brad will arrive only on Saturday, to Venice. There is no way that they can cross each other at the Lido.鈥�
How does Venice play into the Oscar race?
Venice had difficulty competing with Cannes and Toronto to get the biggest films for a long time. There were always stars and significant films, some of which got Oscar nominations and wins. But Barbera thinks things really changed in 2012, when they hosted the premiere of 鈥淕ravity,鈥� which went on to win a leading seven Oscars that March and established Venice as a place to launch a campaign. It鈥檚 only intensified as the Since 2014, they鈥檝e hosted four best picture winners (鈥淏irdman,鈥� 鈥淪potlight,鈥� 鈥淭he Shape of Water鈥� and 鈥淣omadland鈥�) and 19 nominees.
What is the Lido?
When people think of Venice, they usually think of landmarks like the Rialto bridge and St. Mark's Square. The festival actually takes place on a different island, a nearly 7-mile (11-kilometer) barrier island called the Lido 鈥� about a 20-minute ferry (vaporetto) away where motorized vehicles, including cars and buses, and bikes are allowed.
A military outpost in the 12th century, it transformed into a seaside resort, a favorite of European aristocrats, by the end of the 19th. In 1932, the Venice Film Festival decided to make the island its headquarters.
Where do celebrities stay?
On the Lido the five-star hotel of choice is the Hotel Excelsior, which dates back to 1908 and where Quentin Tarantino has stayed. But rooms go quickly, and there are so many luxury hotels on the different islands that offer a bit more privacy away from the frenzy of the festival and the photographers.
Perhaps the most famous of the bunch is the Belmond Hotel Cipriani, on Giudecca, home of one of Clooney鈥檚 favorite bars. There鈥檚 the Hotel Danieli, which has been featured in films like 鈥淢oonraker鈥� and 鈥淐asino Royale,鈥� and regularly hosts kickoff parties for the festival, with trade publication Variety, to welcome the jury. Another favorite is the Gritti Palace, where everyone from Pitt to Elizabeth Taylor has stayed. There鈥檚 also a St. Regis and the Aman Venice, where George and Amal Clooney were married.
How do people get around Venice?
The scattered hotels are also the reason why you see so many celebrities photographed on the Excelsior docks: They arrive to the festival, including press conferences and premieres, by private water taxi. Sometimes, they鈥檙e transported a very short distance from the Excelsior to the red carpet, in cars. Unlike the main island of Venice, vehicles are allowed on the Lido, including buses and private cars. But many festivalgoers prefer to rent a bike to get around.
Who decides on the Venice awards?
is presiding over the main competition jury, which includes James Gray, Andrew Haigh, Agnieszka Holland, Kleber Mendon莽a Filho, Abderrahmane Sissako, Giuseppe Tornatore, Julia von Heinz and Zhang Ziyi. The competition this year includes 21 films.
How does everyone juggle overlapping festivals?
Well, it can be difficult. This year, a fair amount of press had planned to leave Venice on Sept. 4 to go to the (which starts Sept. 5), but had to rethink plans when it was announced 鈥淛oker 2鈥� was scheduled to premiere that day. Others jet off earlier to Telluride, which begins Aug. 30. And there鈥檚 always the New York Film Festival (Sept. 27-Oct. 14), which hosts top films from earlier festivals.
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For more coverage of the 2024 Venice Film Festival, visit .
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
