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Ben Croll Now entering its 11th edition, the Venice Film Festival’s Biennale College Cinema program acts as incubator for first or second films, inviting 12 micro-budget projects on a two-week development workshop each October before funding production on four selected works. The only catch – the films have to be ready in time to screen at the next festival. “It’s a bet,” says Venice director Alberto Barbera, who also oversees the program. “But we’ve been so lucky that in 10 years, all the projects have been successful. All of them made it in time for the following year.” This year will see those microbudgets grow, as the Biennale College program ups its production grant from $150,000 to $200,000 for each selected feature, and from $60,000 to $80,000 for the one selected VR piece. Everything else will stay in place for an initiative that has proven remarkably fruitful.

Naman Ramachandran The star studded Variety and Hotel Danieli pre-festival cocktail party on Aug. 30 was a taster of the riches in store at the Venice Film Festival that kicks off the following day. Head of the jury Julianne Moore and fellow jurors, “A Separation” actor Leila Hatami and filmmakers Audrey Diwan, Mariano Cohn, Leonardo Di Costanzo and Rodrigo Sorogoyen, were present as was “Thor: Love and Thunder” actor Tessa Thompson, who is serving on the festival’s Horizons strand jury. The evening, titled “Cinema Danieli – An Unforgettable Story,” on the terrace of the plush Hotel Danieli, which will turn 200 next year, has become a festival tradition dating back 13 years. It was introduced by Claudio Staderini, director of the Danieli, who described the hotel as a shooting and residential choice of many of the biggest movie stars in the world.

The Venice Film Festival has announced two new initiatives in collaboration with The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk to support and raise awareness about directors, filmmakers, and artists who have been arrested or imprisoned around the world during the past year.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Venice Film Festival is launching two initiatives to support directors, filmmakers and artists who have been arrested or imprisoned around the world during the past year. In tandem with the International Coalition Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR), a panel will be held on Sept. 3 at the Palazzo del Casinò press conference room titled: “Filmmakers Under Attack:Taking Stock, Taking Action.” Panelists will include fest chiefs Alberto Barbera (Venice);  Vanja Kalurdjercic (Rotterdam); Orwa Nyrabia (Amsterdam Documentary Film Festival); Turkish producer Nadir Öperli; European Film Academy president Mike Downey and an unspecified Iranian director. 

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Venice Film Festival once again looks like the place to launch the heavy hitters of awards season. As the world’s oldest film festival —unspooling on the island of Lido —  celebrates its 90th year, it serves up a dazzling display of goods and stars, starting from its opener, Noah Baumbach’s black comedy “White Noise” — with Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig and Jodie Turner-Smith expected on the red carpet — to an impressive array of arthouse auteurs screening their latest. Assembling the 2022 Venice lineup has been a long and complicated process for festival topper Alberto Barbera and his team. They started viewing submissions in November, several months earlier than usual, so in some cases they had to take the plunge without knowing what else would become available by showtime. The Venice selection process was further hampered by the ongoing pandemic, which continues to disrupt delivery dates and distribution schedules. “I admit that it’s been the most challenging year,” Barbera says. 

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Naman Ramachandran On Aug. 24, Ukraine independence day, the Venice Film Festival has revealed that it will host a Ukrainian Day on Sept. 8, as part of the festival’s Venice Production Bridge initiative. The day will kick off with a panel discussion introduced by the president of the Biennale, Roberto Cicutto, and the artistic director of the 79th festival, Alberto Barbera. Panelists include the Ambassador of Ukraine to Italy, Yaroslav Melnyk; the head of the National Cinema Institution of Ukraine, Marina Kuderchuk; the director of the film “Luxembourg, Luxembourg” (which will screen in competition in the festival’s Horizons strand), Antonio Lukich; the director of the film “Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” (screening out of competition), Evgeny Afineevsky; the exhibiting artist in the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 59th Biennale Arte, Pavlo Makov; the curator of the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 59th Biennale Arte, Boris Filonenko; the representative of Ukraine’s Council for State Support of Cinematography, Polina Tolmacheva; the Cultural Attaché of Ukraine, the actor and filmmaker Daria Tregubova; and the producer and head of civic organization Andriy Nogin. The panel will be moderated by Volodymyr Ostapchuk.

Carson Burton Walter Hill, the director behind “The Warriors” and “48 Hrs.,” is the recipient of the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award from this year’s Venice International Film Festival, Cartier and La Biennale di Venezia announced Friday. His new film, “Dead For a Dollar,” will premiere at the festival.“In the film world, one knows it’s a great honor to be invited for a special screening at the Venice Film Festival,” Hill said.

Hello and welcome to another week that was in international entertainment. Jesse Whittock here, back to guide you through the big stories and scoops. Also, a warm welcome to another new face in our London office, Zac Ntim, who’s joined us as International Film Reporter. Drop him a note and say hello.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentVenice artistic director Alberto Barbera is smiling and looking relaxed after unveiling the festival’s strongest lineup in recent memory, a rich mix of hotly anticipated pics from the U.S. and elsewhere around the world that’s likely to bolster the Lido’s power as an Oscars kingmaker.Venice’s program of high-profile titles is especially impressive in a year that sees the Toronto International Film Festival roar back to life after two COVID-stricken years. As in pre-pandemic times, there will be a few days of overlap between the Canadian and Italian festivals.Although Venice struggled with ticketing last year due to theaters remaining at 50% capacity, Barbera informed Italian media that this year’s festival is expected to shed COVID measures altogether, meaning there should be ample space for delegates.

The lineup announced today for the 79th Venice Film Festival is a varied and rich offering from the world’s oldest event of its kind. There are auteur filmmakers galore who have also shown commercial mettle, previous Lido winners and some tantalizing out-of-competition entries including a short film featuring Chris Rock. While there may not be a Dune– or Joker-sized Hollywood tentpole in the bunch, this is an intriguing mix which is sure to bring plenty of star power — notably with Olivia Wilde’s out of competition title Don’t Worry Darling ferrying Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Gemma Chan and Chris Pine to the island.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentVenice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera will soon unveil the lineup for the fest’s upcoming 79th edition, which will open with Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise.”“White Noise” stars Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig and Jodie Turner-Smith, and is based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Don DeLillo. The film, which will screen in competition, also marks the first time a Netflix film has landed Venice’s opening slot.Elsewhere, Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All,” starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell as cannibal lovers on a road trip across America in the 1980s, is among other titles strongly believed to also be set to vie for a Golden Lion.U.S.

Refresh for latest…: The Venice Film Festival will unveil its lineup for the 79th edition this morning at 11 a.m. local time (2 a.m. PT/5 a.m. ET). The press conference is being held at the Library of the Biennale Historical Archive of Contemporary Arts in Venice with speakers including Roberto Cicutto, President of La Biennale di Venezia, and Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director of the Cinema Department who oversees the Lido fest.

“White Noise,” the latest feature film from “Marriage Story” Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, is scheduled to open this year’s Venice Film Festival. Starring Baumbach’s oft-collaborators Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, it’s the first time a Netflix feature is opening the fest.

The Venice Film Festival (August 31 – September 10) will open with Noah Baumbach’s Netflix drama White Noise, starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig.

New Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer will make his international debut at the 79th edition of the Venice Film Festival, running from August 31 to September 10.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAs Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera continues to see films and tinker with his selection before announcing the Lido lineup next week, several high-profile titles have emerged as either locked in or highly likely to be launching from the Lido.As previously anticipated by Variety, U.S. studios and streamers are set to be disembarking at the fest in full force.

Julianne Moore will head up the International Jury of Competition this year at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Moore was put up for consideration by the festival’s director, Alberto Barbera, and will be joined by six other names in film.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe upcoming Venice Film Festival is getting ready to unleash a robust roster of Oscar hopefuls promoted by boatloads of Hollywood stars, with Netflix spearheading the Lido landing in September.As Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera begins to lock in his selection, Variety understands there are four Netflix original films in the Venice mix.The streamer’s Venice titles include Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe drama “Blonde” starring Bond girl Ana de Armas (“No Time to Die”) as the Hollywood icon; Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise,” with Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver and Jodie Turner-Smith, which is based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Don DeLillo; “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” the new film from Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which chronicles the story of a Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker going through an existential crisis; and Romain Gavras’ modern tragedy “Athena,” co-written by the French “The World is Yours” director with “Les Miserables” filmmaker Ladj Ly.

Iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve will be presented with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 79th Venice Film Festival which runs August 31–September 10 on the Lido.

Filmmaker Paul Schrader has been set to receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at this year’s Venice Film Festival. The Raging Bull and Taxi Driver screenwriter will be presented with the honor during the 79th edition of the event which runs August 31- September 10 on the Lido.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Venice Film Festival will honor U.S. director and screenwriter Paul Schrader, a key figure of New Hollywood cinema, with its 2022 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.Schrader wrote Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” and “The Last Temptation of Christ” and co-wrote “Raging Bull.” He has directed dozens of films, including “American Gigolo,” “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters,” “The Comfort of Strangers” and “First Reformed.” The director was in Venice last year with “The Card Counter,” starring Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish, which has been a critical and box office success. In accepting the honor Schrader stated: “I am deeply honored.

EXCLUSIVE: The Venice Film Festival and its festival director Alberto Barbera have become awards whisperers.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe country’s box office is still sputtering but Italian cinema is instead “in a state of grace,” as Venice chief Alberto Barbera put it recently as he announced the five features from Italy that are competing for the fest’s Golden Lion.

Manori Ravindran International EditorAs the Venice Film Festival claws back 70% of its pre-pandemic registration numbers and lures a parade of Hollywood stars to the Lido, it seems festival director Alberto Barbera is right: Venice is well and truly back. And just in time, too.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentOn Tuesday night, the eve of the 78th annual Venice Film Festival, Variety hosted a rooftop party at the Hotel Danieli honoring fest topper Alberto Barbera and the Biennale, its parent organization, with its International Achievement in Film Award.Variety international editor Manori Ravindran presented the prize to Barbera and Roberto Cicutto, the president of the Biennale.The event’s theme was “Stairway to Parasite,” a tribute to director Bong Joon Ho,

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentLast year, the small Southern African nation of Lesotho entered the Academy Awards race for the first time with Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s “This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection,” one of 28 features spawned over the past decade by Biennale College — Cinema, the workshop created by Alberto Barbera for emerging filmmakers to develop and produce micro-budget feature-length films.The College was conceived by Barbera in tandem with Torino Film Lab topper

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThere is no doubt that Venice these days is the world’s top event to premiere a future Oscar winner, but it wasn’t always like that.When artistic director Alberto Barbera returned to the Lido in 2012 “a lot of things had changed at an international level, driven by transformations due to the digital revolution and the re-organization of production and distribution,” he says.At the time, “Venice was suffering very much from the competition from other