80th Venice Film Festival | Varied program despite the strike of American actors

(Rome) The 80^e Venice Film Festival presented a varied program on Tuesday, despite the strike of American actors, but risks controversy due to the presence of films by Roman Polanski and Woody Allen.

The inclusion of new films by Roman Polanski and Woody Allen, both selected out of competition, could spark controversy as both directors have been blacklisted by Hollywood over suspicions of sexual assault.

While Mr. Polanski is caught up in old rape charges, Mr. Allen has been the subject of several investigations, but was cleared by the police in the 1990s.

The impact of the American actors’ strike, which began on July 14, on the programming of the Mostra “is very modest”, artistic director Alberto Barbera told the press on Tuesday.

“The only film we lost is the opening one, the very beautiful film Challengers by Luca Guadagnino,” said Barbera.

This movie will be replaced by Commander by another Italian director, Edoardo De Angelis.

“There will be a few stars less […] but we hope that the red carpet will not be bald,” added Mr. Barbera.

Among the 23 films in competition for the Golden Lion, one of the most anticipated is Maestro by Bradley Cooper on the legendary composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. This film, which evokes the tormented relationship of Mr. Bernstein with his wife, is “the biography of an extraordinary genius”, estimated Mr. Barbera.

It was not immediately clear if Bradley Cooper, who also plays the main role, would be present in Venice.

Emma Stone, who plays a Frankenstein-like creature, a woman brought back to life by an eccentric scientist in Poor Things in which she teamed up again with Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favorite), is unlikely to come.

But many Hollywood films will be present for a premiere in Venice, including Sofia Coppola’s feature film on Priscilla Presley, the wife of Elvis, and FerrariMichael Mann’s film about Enzo Ferrari with Adam Driver in the lead role.

International directors include Frenchman Luc Besson – who was cleared of rape charges in June by the Court of Cassation – with Dogmanthe Mexican Michel Franco with Memory with Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard, and the Italian Matteo Garrone (Gomorra) with Io Capitano.

On the French side, note the presence in competition of The beast by Bertrand Bonello, with Léa Seydoux, a Canadian co-production by Sons of Manual, Xavier Dolan’s production company, and Out of season by Stéphane Brizé, with Guillaume Canet.

The festival will end with the screening on September 9 following the award ceremony for the film. La sociedad de la nieve by Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona, inspired by the crash of the Andes in 1972.