The 10 most anticipated films of the 2024 Venice Film Festival

The 81st Venice International Film Festival will take place at the Lido of Venice starting tomorrow and is set to be one of the richest in recent years. With 21 films competing that bring together the best of international cinematic talent, anticipation is sky-high. Among the standout films of this edition are the sequel to Joker directed by Todd Phillips with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and the biopic of Maria Callas featuring Angelina Jolie directed by the always magnificent Pablo Larraín – but these are just two of the many highlights in a truly rich lineup that will cover numerous film genres and promises to energize cinemas worldwide.

Here are the ten most anticipated films of the Venice International Film Festival 2024.

Joker: Folie A Deux by Todd Phillips

The highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning film Joker will once again be directed by Todd Phillips with Joaquin Phoenix reprising his iconic role as Arthur Fleck. The film delves further into the psyche of the famous villain. Alongside Phoenix, pop star Lady Gaga joins the cast as Harley Quinn, promising an intense performance in this new psychological adventure where the realm of comic book movies will merge (and it’s still unclear how) with the world of musicals.

Maria by Pablo Larrain

Maria, the new film by Chilean director Pablo Larraín, depicts the final years of the legendary soprano Maria Callas. Portrayed by Angelina Jolie, the film focuses on the most intense moments of the "Divine's" personal and artistic life. Following the successes of Spencer and Jackie, Larraín continues his exploration of iconic female figures with an intimate and captivating style, offering a deep and emotional portrait of Callas and marking Angelina Jolie's return to screens after a long absence, interrupted only by the less well-received Marvel film Eternals.

Babygirl by Halina Reijn

Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn, is an erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman as a powerful CEO who risks everything – career and family – when she begins a tumultuous relationship with her young intern, played by Harris Dickinson. Other notable actors include Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde. The film explores the dangers of seduction and the consequences of forbidden love, highlighting the dark sides of power and desire while presumably reversing traditional power dynamics.

The Order by Justin Kurzel

The Order is a crime thriller inspired by real events, starring Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in the lead roles. Set in 1983, the film follows an FBI agent, played by Jude Law, who starts noticing a disturbing pattern behind a series of bank robberies, counterfeiting operations, and armored truck assaults terrorizing communities in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. As he investigates, he realizes that the crimes are not the work of a normal criminal organization but of a radical group of white supremacists led by a charismatic leader, played by Nicholas Hoult. The film explores radicalization and domestic terrorism, offering a dark view of extremist movements in 1980s America. The cast also includes Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, Odessa Young, and Marc Maron.

The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar

In The Room Next Door, Ingrid and Martha, two childhood friends who worked together at a magazine, have drifted apart over the years. Ingrid has become a writer of semi-autobiographical novels, while Martha is a war reporter. They have not been in touch for a long time until they meet again in an extreme yet strangely sweet situation. The director, making his first feature film in English, found his insecurity dissipate after the initial readings with the actresses and the first directing instructions. Although not completely comfortable with English, he appreciated the cast's willingness to overcome language barriers. The film, heavily reliant on dialogue, features Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore as leads, and the director was impressed by their intense and moving performances, which made the filming experience profoundly emotional for everyone involved.

Queer by Luca Guadagnino

Starring Daniel Craig, Queer is an adaptation of the famous novel by William S. Burroughs. The film tells the story of a man who, after the loss of a loved one, embarks on a dark and hallucinatory journey through Mexico, seeking new experiences and connections. Guadagnino maintains his unique and hypnotic stylistic approach, bringing to the screen a bold exploration of sexuality and identity. The cast also includes Lea Seydoux and Andrew Scott, who contribute to amplifying the psychological complexity of the film.

Diva Futura by Giulia Louise Steigerwalt

The film, featuring Pietro Castellitto as Riccardo Schicchi and Denise Capezza as Moana Pozzi, chronicles the long history of the famous Italian porn studios that also give the film its name. The story follows figures like Eva Henger, Moana Pozzi, and Cicciolina, each with their own motivations and dilemmas, revealing the hidden sides of their professional and personal lives. With a visceral and provocative style, Steigerwalt tackles prejudices related to sexuality and the complex dynamics of self-control in a performance-driven world. The film does not merely represent the world of porn but uses it as a lens to explore broader themes such as self-determination, freedom, and the struggle against social conventions.

The Brutalist by Brady Corbet

Already described as the potential surprise of this edition, The Brutalist tells the story of László Tóth, a Hungarian Jewish architect who emigrates to the United States in 1947. After living in poverty and working hard, Tóth secures a crucial contract that radically transforms the next thirty years of his life. The director, after years of difficulty in getting the project off the ground, expresses his gratitude to all the collaborators who helped bring what he calls a “impossible film” to life. Despite the conventions of a formal statement requiring discussion of the film's themes or aesthetics, the director prefers to focus on the honor of presenting The Brutalist to the Venice Film Festival audience in 70mm, expressing his deep appreciation for the cast, crew, and his family.

Harvest by Athina Rachel Tsangari

The wild card of the festival. Harvest tells the story of a nameless village disappearing in an indefinite time and place, within a tragicomical western context. The narrative follows Walter Thirsk, a city man who has taken up farming, and Charles Kent, his childhood friend and landowner, as they confront external invasion represented by the trauma of modernity. Adapting Jim Crace's novel, the film explores the birth of our current environmental crisis, depicting the end of a farming community under attack by outsiders such as a cartographer, a migrant, and a businessman, who symbolize the chaos brought by the industrial revolution. The director describes it as a reflection on the failure of the revolution and the loss of land, featuring no heroes but only imperfect individuals, captured in a sort of modern daguerreotype showing the early cracks of modernity.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice by Tim Burton

In the sequel to Beetlejuice, after a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River. Lydia, now an adult and still haunted by the past, sees her life upended when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, finds an old model of the town in the attic and accidentally reopens a portal to the Afterlife. With problems threatening both worlds, it’s only a matter of time before the mischievous demon Beetlejuice returns, ready to sow chaos. The director, fond of the original film, wanted to make the sequel only with the consent of the original cast, which includes Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, and Winona Ryder as well as Jenna Ortega. Reflecting on how Lydia has changed over time, the director explores the transition from being a goth rebel to an adult, dealing with the transformations life brings. The film retains the spirit of the original, with a predominant use of practical effects and much creative freedom. This sequel, enriched by a wide and varied cast, is a very personal project for the director, celebrating why he loves making films.