For the 79th time, big Hollywood stars and renowned auteur filmmakers will be honored at the Lido in Venice. This year’s Venice Film Festival will take place from August 31st to September 10th, where the star guests will be appropriately shipped to the red carpet by ship. This year, too, the festival combines well-known films from the Hollywood dream factory with international art-house cinema. Unfortunately, only German films did not make it into the competition for the Golden Lion. Here is a summary of which stars can be expected, who will make up the jury and which non-competitive films will cause a stir.
Last year’s jury president Bong Joon-ho (52, “Parasite”) will be followed by US actress Julianne Moore (61, “Still Alice”) for the 2022 edition. The Oscar winner presides over a six-member jury.
Among others, the Iranian actress Leila Hatami (49, “Nader and Simin – a separation”), one of the biggest stars in her country, and last year’s winner Audrey Diwan (42) decide on the awards. Diwan received the Golden Lion for her drama “The Event” at the Lido last year.
A total of 23 films from all over the world will compete for the Golden Lion in 2022. The Netflix drama “White Noise” by the American Noah Baumbach (52, “Marriage Story”) opens the festival. Adam Driver (38) and Greta Gerwig (39) play the leading roles. Also produced by the streaming service Netflix is the biopic “Blonde” with the Cuban Ana de Armas (34) as screen legend Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962). The Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (51, “Call Me by Your Name”) sends his latest work “Bones and All” with Timothée Chalamet (26) in the lead role.
Four-time Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (59, “The Revenant”) shows his latest film “Bardo, falsa crónica de unas cuantas verdades”, while Irish director Martin McDonagh (52, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) is represented with “The Banshees of Inisherin”. McDonagh’s compatriot Colin Farrell (46) plays the leading role here. Also shown in competition is The Son, starring Hugh Jackman, 53, Vanessa Kirby, 34, Laura Dern, 55, and Anthony Hopkins, 84. Director Florian Zeller (43) previously directed the drama “The Father”, which was awarded two Oscars.
Darren Aronofsky (53), who received the Golden Lion in 2008 for “The Wrestler” with Mickey Rourke (69), is showing his latest work “The Whale” with Brendan Fraser (53) and Sadie Sink (20) at the Lido. The Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi (62) is represented with his film “No Bears”. Panahi was sentenced to six years in prison for “anti-regime propaganda” in his home country.
As is usual at major festivals, this year some of the most well-known stars will be presenting their new works at the Lido out of competition. The stylish psychological thriller “Don’t Worry Darling” by Olivia Wilde (38, “Booksmart”) celebrates its world premiere in Venice. The leading actors Harry Styles (28) and Florence Pugh (26) should be present on the red carpet.
Two renowned Danish directors are presenting new series projects in Venice. Director-enfant terrible Lars von Trier (66), who only recently made his Parkinson’s diagnosis public, shows “Riget Exodus”. This is the third and final season of his Twin Peaks-inspired series Riget, known in Germany as Hospital der Geister. Von Trier’s compatriot Nicolas Winding Refn (51, “The Neon Demon”) is in Venice with the Netflix series “Copenhagen Cowboy”.
Two new films by absolute greats in cinema history will also be shown at the Lido. Action film legend Walter Hill (80, “Only 48 Hours”) presents his western “Dead for a Dollar” with Christoph Waltz (65) and Willem Dafoe (76). “Köne taevast (Call of God)” will be the final film by controversial South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk (1960-2020). Friends and colleagues completed the work after Kim’s unexpected death in December 2020.
