Despite the ongoing strikes in Hollywood, some A-listers will make the trip to the Lido this year. Here's how.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Venice Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday amidst the writers and actors strike in Hollywood.
While many feared that this would mean fewer major US productions in the Competition line-up, the original programme has emerged broadly unscathed.
However, there will not be as many A-listers gracing the Lido red carpet this year, due to the ongoing strikes and the restrictions union members are under - namely not promoting projects.
Despite this, it has been officially confirmed that Adam Driver, Jessica Chastain, Caleb Landry Jones and Mads Mikkelsen are among the stars who will attend the festival this year.
The festival has confirmed that Driver is expected on the Lido’s red carpet to promote Michael Mann’s Ferrari, in which he plays the titular character, Italian car racing pioneer Enzo Ferrari; Chastain for Michel Franco’s Memory, her first role since her Oscar-winning performance in The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021); Landry Jones for Luc Besson’s Dogman; Mikkelsen for Danish director Nikolaj Arcel’s The Promised Land.
Also expected on the Lido are Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, who play Priscilla and Elvis Presley in Sophia Coppola’s Priscilla, as well as Priscilla Presley herself.
All the above films have obtained SAG-AFTRA interim waivers since they are independent productions that have not been produced by AMPTP members.
The casts of studio movies such as The Killer, Maestro and Poor Things - all premiering in Competition this year - are not expected on the Lido.
According to Italian news agency ANSA, Kiefer Sutherland is likely to be on the Lido to pay homage to the late William Friedkin’s last film, legal drama The Caine Mutiny Court Martial - despite the fact that it is produced by Showtime and Paramount Global, which is an AMPTP member.
Filmmakers rumoured to attend this year include David Fincher, Sofia Coppola, Ava DuVernay, Michael Mann, Yorgos Lanthimos and Woody Allen.
There will be a contingent of international talent at the festival, including Hong Kong icon Tony Leung who will be feted with a lifetime achievement award. Actress Valerie Lemercier is among French talent attending for Allen’s Coup De Chance and Roman Polanski’s film The Palace will be represented by Fanny Ardant and Joaquin De Almeida.
The 80th Venice Film Festival starts on Wednesday 30 August and runs until 9 September. It opens with Italian WWII action film Comandante, which has replaced the original opening film Challengers, with Zendaya, a movie pulled due to the strikes. Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for full coverage of the festival, including daily film reviews.
