Venice Film Festival 2024: When is it and what can we expect?

The international film festival opened with the premiere of US comedy horror Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Photo / Getty Images

The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the world, with its 81st edition opening on Wednesday.

Below are some facts about the festival and the 2024 contenders:

When is the festival?

It opens on August 28 with the premiere of the US comedy horror Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton. The event runs until September 7 and closes with an Italian film, The American Backyard, directed by Pupi Avati.

Where is it held?

The festival takes place on the Venice Lido, the so-called beach of Venice, a thin barrier island in the Venetian Lagoon, which is a short boat trip from the main city of Venice. Unlike Venice itself, cars have access to the Lido.

Why is it so closely watched?

The festival marks the start of the awards season and regularly throws up big favourites for the Oscars. Eight of the past 12 Best Director awards at the Oscars went to films that debuted at Venice, while Emma Stone won the Best Actress Oscar this year for a film, Poor Things, that premiered at Venice.

The event also draws a multitude of stars, with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Tilda Swinton and Adrien Brody all expected on the Lido.

What movies have been selected for the festival?

There are several categories making up the official selection of films shown, the top being those competing for the coveted Golden Lion award. This year’s 21 contenders, in order of their screening, are:

Maria (It-Ger) Director: Pablo Larrain

Kill the Jockey (Arg-Sp) Dir: Luis Ortega

Babygirl (US) Dir: Halina Reijn

Three Friends (Fr) Dir: Emmanuel Mouret

The Brutalist (UK) Dir: Brady Corbet

And Their Children After Them (Fr) Dirs: Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma

Battleground (It) Dir: Gianni Amelio

The Order (Can) Dir: Justin Kurzel

I’m Still Here (Braz-Fr) Dir: Walter Salles

Vermiglio (It-Fr-Bel) Dir: Maura Delpero

The Room Next Door (Sp) Dir: Pedro Almodovar

Queer (It-US) Dir: Luca Guadagnino

Harvest (UK-Ger-Gre-Fr-US) Dir: Athina Rachel Tsangari

Joker: Folie à Deux (US) Dir: Todd Phillips

Diva Futura (It) Dir: Giulia Louise Steigerwalt

The Quiet Son (Fr) Dir: Delphine and Muriel Coulin

Sicilian Letters (It-Fr) Dir: Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza

Stranger Eyes (Sing-Taiwan-Fr-US) Dir: Yeo Siew Hua

Love (Nor) Dir: Dag Johan Haugerud

April (Geo-Fr-It) Dir: Dea Kulumbegashvili

Youth - Homecoming (Fr-Lux-Neth) Dir: Wang Bing

Isabelle Huppert is the head of the competition jury this year. Photo / Getty Images

Who leads the competition jury?

France’s Isabelle Huppert heads the main competition jury and will be joined, amongst others, by fellow actor Zhang Ziyi and directors James Gray, Agnieszka Holland, Abderrahmane Sissako and Giuseppe Tornatore.

Are any big films being shown out of the competition?

Like other festivals, Venice reserves a number of spots for interesting movies that are shown out of competition. This year, besides Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, there is Wolfs directed by Jon Watts, Finalement by French veteran Claude Lelouch and Broken Rage by Japanese master Takeshi Kitano.

The festival is also screening a handful of upcoming TV series, including thriller Disclaimer, by acclaimed director Alfonso Cuaron and starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline.