Credits: Ariela Ortiz-Barrantes (Commons account: Arielaortizb) — WikiPortraits / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International).
The 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival kicked off with fanfare on Wednesday, with the highly anticipated arrival of Hollywood’s elite. Through September 7, stars and cinephiles from around the world are converging on the Lido to celebrate cinema. The festival’s opening was marked by the out-of-competition screening of the latest installment from Tim Burton: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. This film, which will be released in France on September 11, marks the return of the famous unhinged exorcist trapped in the afterlife, once again played by Michael Keaton, now 72 years old.
Thirty-six years after the cult success of the first film, Tim Burton returns to helm the character once more. Alongside Michael Keaton, former kleptomaniac Winona Ryder reprises her role as Lydia, the gothic teenager who talked to the dead, now grown up. Catherine O’Hara also returns as Lydia’s mother. New faces join this adventure: the great Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci — who has been romantically linked with Burton for several months — as well as Jenna Ortega, star of the series Wednesday.
The Venice red carpet is shining as ever. Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney are expected to walk the famous steps overlooking the Adriatic. Lady Gaga, starring in the new Joker, is also scheduled among the guests of honor. On the French side, the illustrious actress Isabelle Huppert presides over the feature film jury, while Claude Lelouch, guest of honor, will present Finalement, his 51st film. Three French films are in competition this year: Leurs enfants après eux, adapted from the 2018 Goncourt Prize winner Nicolas Mathieu; Jouer avec le feu starring Vincent Lindon; and Trois amies by Emmanuel Mouret.
However, this edition is not solely defined by glamour. Renowned Italian actress Laura Morante used her presence on the red carpet to display a message. Brandishing a fan inscribed with “Stop the Gaza genocide,” she wanted to remind people that the reality of war remains present, even amid Venice’s splendor. Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, invited in a parallel selection by the Giornate degli autori, also denounced the situation… This edition of the festival therefore includes participants who aim to be sensitive to global issues while continuing to celebrate cinema in all its glory.
La Mostra, the oldest film festival in the world, has managed to stay in step with the times despite recent upheavals. The streaming platforms revolution has not spared the event. The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t either. Likewise, last year’s writers’ strike had an impact. But the festival has adapted. Unlike Cannes, it quickly opened its competition to productions from streaming platforms.
Among the standout images of this edition, Isabelle Huppert drew attention in a surprising outfit. The 71-year-old actress wore a blazing red tracksuit and a tourist cap. She also carried a coffee cup as a purse. All these pieces are from Balenciaga’s pre-fall 2024 collection. In doing so, she defied red-carpet conventions. With her black “Ski Cat” sunglasses, she perfectly embodied the “tourist-core” style while remaining one of French cinema’s indispensable faces. Balenciaga, which announced this collaboration with Huppert on July 31, 2023, could not have dreamed of a better ambassador to showcase its new bag “The Bel Air.”
This edition of the Mostra thus promises to be rich in events, between tributes, commitments, and celebrations of the seventh art. The festival continues to show that cinema remains a reflection of the concerns and passions of our time. Even in moments of celebration, that remains true.