The 83rd edition of the Venice International Film Festival, a cornerstone of global cinema and a critical bellwether for the awards season, officially revealed its highly anticipated lineup today. Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera and Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, president of the Biennale di Venezia, presented the official selection of films slated for competition and key sidebar sections. The announcement, made from the historic La Biennale Library of the Historical Archive in Venice, was broadcast live starting at 11 am local time, allowing cinephiles worldwide to follow the proceedings via the festival’s official website and its extensive social media channels, including YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook.
Venice, alongside the Cannes Film Festival, holds a preeminent position among the world’s most prestigious film festivals. Its selections are meticulously scrutinized not only for their artistic merit but also for their potential to shape the narrative of the ensuing awards season, from the Golden Globes to the Academy Awards. This year’s announcement comes at a time of heightened geopolitical awareness and internal friction within the European cultural landscape, adding an undercurrent of political resonance to the cinematic offerings.
A significant point of contention emerged during the press conference when Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, typically reserved in his public pronouncements regarding the festival’s political implications, broke his silence. Buttafuoco directly addressed the European Commission’s recent decision to withdraw a €2 million ($2.8 million) grant allocated to the La Biennale di Venezia Foundation. This punitive measure was reportedly a response to the Biennale’s decision to permit Russia’s participation in the event for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Buttafuoco drew a stark analogy, characterizing the European Commission as a "wolf" and Venice as a "lamb," and lamented that Brussels was "abandoning us… because of a political decision, not a legal decision, and certainly not a cultural decision." This strong rebuke underscores the complex interplay between artistic freedom, international politics, and cultural exchange.
The festival’s programming reflects a diverse array of themes and origins, with a notable emphasis on films addressing contemporary social and political issues. Artistic director Alberto Barbera initiated the lineup reveal with the Venice Spotlight section, which includes compelling works such as "Conversation With the Sea" by Palestinian director Muayad Alayan and "Hombre Al Agua" from Mexican actor and director Gael Garcia Bernal. The Spotlight lineup appears particularly politically charged this year, featuring "Ground Floor" by Hungarian director Gabor Reisz, which Barbera described as a potent metaphor for the Viktor Orbán "dictatorship," and "I Matter," by Alina Serban, marking a significant milestone as the first film by a Roma director to be showcased in this section.
Orizzonti Section: A Glimpse into Emerging Voices and Documentary Powerhouses
The Orizzonti (Horizons) section, a key sidebar dedicated to showcasing new cinematic trends and emerging talent, also presents a robust selection. Highlights include "Lovers in the Blue Night," the latest offering from India’s Anupama Roy, whose previous film "Songs of Forgotten Trees" garnered the Best Director award in this section last year. The documentary realm is further bolstered by "Too Much Sugar," the new film from acclaimed director Robert Greene, known for his powerful work on "Procession."
This year also introduces a new sidebar, Venice Open Non Fiction, dedicated exclusively to documentary films. This section promises world premieres of some of the most anticipated non-fiction works, including Alex Gibney’s exposé on Elon Musk, titled "Musk." Further adding to the documentary lineup are "My Undesirable Friends Part II – Exile," Julia Loktev’s follow-up to her 2025 film that chronicled Russia’s crackdown on independent journalists, and "Union Town," from two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple, celebrated for her seminal works "Harlan County U.S.A." and "American Dream."
Opening and Closing Films Set the Tone
The festival has already announced that Danny Boyle’s "Ink," a biographical drama centered on Rupert Murdoch and his formidable British tabloid empire, will serve as the opening film on September 2. Starring Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce, and Claire Foy, the film is expected to generate considerable buzz. The festival will conclude on September 12 with the screening of "Dio Ride," an Italian period drama directed by Giovanni Veronesi and starring Pierfrancesco Favino, presented out of competition.
Esteemed Directors and Debut Features
Legendary German director Werner Herzog returns to the main competition with "Bucking Fastard," a significant move after his documentary "Ghost Elephants" screened out of competition last year. Herzog reportedly declined an out-of-competition slot at Cannes to premiere his new feature at Venice. The film boasts a notable cast, including siblings Rooney and Kate Mara in their first on-screen collaboration, alongside Orlando Bloom and Domhnall Gleeson. Hanway Films is handling worldwide sales for "Bucking Fastard," actively seeking a domestic distributor.
Danish director May el-Toukhy, acclaimed for "Queen of Hearts," makes her Venice debut with "Woman Unknown." This period drama stars Mathilde Arcel as Marie, a young nanny and housemaid entangled in a forbidden affair with a German soldier during the occupation, a secret that threatens to unravel her impending marriage to her wealthy, older employer, played by Carsten Bjørnlund. TrustNordisk is managing international sales for the film.
Competition for the Golden Lion Intensifies
The race for the prestigious Golden Lion for Best Film is set to be fiercely contested. Among the notable entries in the main competition are Casey Affleck’s 1970s-set gothic mystery "Company," featuring Nick Nolte and Ben Mendelsohn, and "A Bit of Light" by Iranian director Ali Asgari.
Out of Competition Highlights and Festival Luminaries
The out-of-competition slate also features a wealth of cinematic talent. Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó ("Pieces of a Woman") presents "Place to Be," with a star-studded cast including Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi, and Pamela Anderson. Filipino auteur Lav Diaz returns with "Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors," and acclaimed filmmaker Paul Schrader presents his new work, "The Basics of Philosophy." The Luc Besson-produced crime thriller "Father Joe," directed by Barthelemy Grossman and starring Kiefer Sutherland and Al Pacino, is also slated to screen out of competition.
Jury President and Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Esteemed actress Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter," "The Bride!") will preside over this year’s competition jury, tasked with selecting the Golden Lion winner. Meanwhile, Hollywood icon George Clooney, a familiar face on the Lido, will be honored with an honorary Golden Lion for his lifetime achievement in cinema.
A Look Back and the Future of Festival Premieres
Last year’s Venice Biennale saw several high-profile premieres, though many, including Benny Safdie’s "The Smashing Machine," Noah Baumbach’s "Jay Kelly," and Kathryn Bigelow’s "A House of Dynamite," did not translate into significant awards season success. The only film from the 2025 Venice lineup to achieve major Oscar recognition was Guillermo del Toro’s "Frankenstein," which secured nine Academy Award nominations and won three for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling. Yorgos Lanthimos’s "Bugonia," another Venice world premiere, received three Oscar nominations but no wins. Kaouther Ben Hania’s "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which earned the Venice Silver Lion last year, was nominated for Best International Feature but ultimately lost to Joachim Trier’s "Sentimental Value."
The challenges faced by major European festivals like Cannes and Berlin in attracting films from major Hollywood studios have fueled speculation about a potential cooling of relationships between studios and the festival circuit. Barbera has historically demonstrated a remarkable ability to secure premieres of prestigious studio and Netflix titles on the Lido. This year’s lineup will be a crucial test of his continued influence in attracting major studio releases amidst evolving industry dynamics.
Full Venice 2026 Lineup
Venice Competition
- Ink, dir. Danny Boyle (Opening Film)
- Company, dir. Casey Affleck
- A Bit of Light, dir. Ali Asgari
- Ritorno a Buenos Aires, dir. Marco Bechi
- Un Bon Petit Soldat, dir. Stephane Brize
- Il Fuoco Che Ti Porti Dentro, dir. Edoardo de Angelis
- Woman Unknown, dir. May el-Toukhy
- Bucking Fastard, dir. Werner Herzog
- A Place to Heal, dir. Cedric Kahn
- Dau, dir. Ilya Khrzhanovsky
Venice Spotlight
- Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing, dir. Erik Shirai (Opening Film)
- Conversation With the Sea, dir. Muayad Alayan
- Hombre Al Agua, dir. Gael Garcia Bernal
- Serpenti, dir. Roberto de Paolis Maino
- Furies, dir. Rami Kodeih
- Guria, dir. Levan Koguashvili
- Ground Floor, dir. Gabor Reisz
- I Matter, dir. Alina Serban
Orizzonti Competition
- La Ragazza con la Leica, dir. Alina Marazzi (Opening Film)
- The Burning Giants, dir. Phuttiphong Aroonpheng
- What Belongs to Others, dir. Grzegorz Debowski
- Una Storia, dir. Anna Foglietta
- La Citta dei Vivi, dir. Edoardo Gabbriellini
- Falling House, dir. Mohsen Gharaei
- Too Much Sugar, dir. Robert Greene
- The Difficult Bride, dir. Rubaiyat Hossain
- La Maison du Vent, dir. Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu
- I Figli Della Scimmia, dir. Tommaso Landucci
- A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra, dir. Jacqueline Lentzou
- Oasis, dir. Jannis Lenz
- Until the Day Ends, dir. Jelena Maksimovic
- La Moula, dir. Jerome Pierrat
- Lovers in the Blue Night, dir. Anupama Roy
- Un Detour par Diane, dir. Ann Sirot, Raphael Balboni
- The Color of the Sun, dir. Xavier Tera
Venice Open – Films on Film
- Juso Per Ferie, dir. Karen di Porto
- Nino – Un Film su Nino, dir. Walter Fasano
- The Pervert’s Guide to Utopias, dir. Sophie Fiennes
- Joie de Vivre, dir. Luca Guadagnino
- Twist and Shoot Mister Suzuki, dir. Yves Montmayeur
- Intermission, dir. Yonfan
Venice Open – Non Fiction
- Be Brave, dir. Francesco Carrozzini
- What Loves Builds, dir. Russell Crowe
- Burgundy, dir. Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw
- Musk, dir. Alex Gibney
- The Road to Jericho, dir. Amos Gitai
- Citizen Osama, dir. Ahmed Hassouna
- Union Town, dir. Barbara Kopple
- Holy Wood Dust, dir. Victor Kossakovsky
- Letters from the Silenced Country, dir. Andrei Kutsila
- Biografia de Jorge Luis Borges, dir. Mariano Llinas
- My Undesirable Friends Part II – Exile, dir. Julia Loktev
- Boatbilders, dir. Luke Lorentzen
- Imperium, dir. Sergei Loznitsa
- Shumei – The Living Legacy of Kabuki, dir. Takashi Miike
- Queer Edward II, dir. Theo Rollason
- Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, dirs. Dylan Southern, Will Lovelace
- Dust, dir. Tsai Ming-liang
- Everest: The Other Side, dirs. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chan
- From Inside Out – The Architecture of Peter Zumthor, dir. Wim Wenders
Venice Open – Fiction
- Dio Ride, dir. Giovanni Veronesi (Closing Film)
- Nessun Dolore, dir. Gianni Amelio
- Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors, dir. Lav Diaz
- Father Joe, dir. Barthelemy Grossman
- Scherzetto, dir. Mario Martone
- Place to Be, dir. Kornel Mundruczo
- No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman, dir. Halkawt Mustafa
- Arrested Memory, dir. Sabu
- The Basics of Philosophy, dir. Paul Schrader
- Un Bon Avocat, dir. Tristan Seguela
- Jupiter, dir. Alexandre Smia
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