The 81st Venice Film Festival kicked off on August 28, 2024, with Tim Burton’s highly anticipated sequel ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’. The film, arriving 36 years after the original cult classic, features returning stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara, alongside newcomers Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe. Burton expressed that this project was ‘re-energizing’ and allowed him to return to his passion for filmmaking.The festival boasts a lineup of 84 films across five competition categories, with 21 films vying for the prestigious Golden Lion award. High-profile contenders include ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, a musical starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and ‘Queer’, featuring Daniel Craig. Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language film, ‘The Room Next Door’, and Pablo Larraín’s ‘Maria’, starring Angelina Jolie, are also generating buzz.French actress Isabelle Huppert presides over the jury, while American actress Sigourney Weaver will receive the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. Weaver, reflecting on her pioneering role as Ripley in ‘Alien’, expressed gratitude for potentially influencing the path for women in leadership, including current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.The festival has drawn a constellation of Hollywood stars to the Lido, including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Nicole Kidman. Despite the glamour, the event also touches on serious themes, with some attendees using the platform to show support for causes such as Palestine.Running until September 7, the Venice Film Festival continues to cement its reputation as a launchpad for Oscar contenders and a celebration of global cinema.
Key points
- The 81st Venice Film Festival opened with Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’, 36 years after the original.
- The festival features 84 films, with 21 competing for the Golden Lion award.
- High-profile films include ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ and Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut.
- Sigourney Weaver will receive a lifetime achievement award and reflected on her influence on women in leadership.
