The 81st edition of the Venice International Film Festival will take place from August 28 to September 7, 2024, ahead of the 2023 edition, which saw Yorgos Lanthimos and Matteo Garrone triumph and had American director Damien Chazelle, the youngest director to win an Oscar for Best Director, as Jury President. As every year, the best of world cinema will gather at the Lido of Venice at the invitation of director Alberto Barbera for the world’s oldest film festival. The Festival aims to promote the knowledge and dissemination of international cinema in all its forms—art, entertainment, and industry—in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. One section is dedicated to the restoration of classic films to enhance the understanding of cinema history, particularly for the benefit of younger audiences.

As usual, the program is rich, featuring iconic faces of international cinema such as Brad Pitt and George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman, the highly anticipated second chapter of Joker with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, as well as renowned Italian directors like Luca Guadagnino, Gianni Amelio, and Pupi Avati, along with local actors Pierfrancesco Favino, Elio Germano, and Toni Servillo, among others.

The international Jury, led by Isabelle Huppert, a style icon and prominent figure in French and world cinema, will award this year’s Golden Lion and numerous other prizes as part of the Biennale’s program. The opening and closing ceremonies will be hosted by Sveva Alviti.

Once again this year, Venezia News will curate the official Festival’s Daily paper, featuring focus articles, interviews, reviews, and specials on all the films in the festival. The Daily will also provide information on the daily screening schedule and all the events and parties that will enliven the Lido and beyond for 10 days. The print edition will be complemented by a dedicated website, updated in real time directly from the Lido, offering a comprehensive overview of this great event.

81st VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL