Venice at Home – Day 3: From Galleries to Gangsters

by Cláudio Alves

Day 3 at the Venice Film festival finds a nonfiction master dipping his foot into the murky waters of fictionalized narrative. Frederick Wiseman's A Couple purports to dramatize the correspondence between Leo Tolstoy and his wife, starring Nathalie Boutefeu, working from a script made from documented letters. Elsewhere in the official competition, Luca Guadagnino helms Bones & All, a cannibal romance starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell. Finally, Romain Gavras brings Athena to the festivities, working alongside Ladj Ly, who co-wrote the film.

As we wait for these movies to become more readily available, let's consider their directors' previous works, including an ode to museums, a fashionable short, and a Scarface revision…

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Venice Diary #02 - BARDO and other self-reflecting movies

by Elisa Giudici

Two men focusing on their own identities. Two women speaking to their relationship with their husbands. For day two of the Venice film festival it was a quartet of movies featuring personal intimate stories...

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Venice at Home – Day 2: Dazzling Debuts

by Cláudio Alves

The 79th Venice Film Festival's second day was a busy one with two premieres by directors who've managed to seduce critics and the Academy alike. First, Alejandro González Iñárritu came to the Lido with his most ambitious project yet, the epic Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, whose production history is embroiled in many controversies. Then, there was also Todd Field's long-awaited return to the big screen after a decade plus sabsence. TÁR is the director's third feature and feels poised to delight actressexuals in similar ways to his debut and sophomore efforts. So far, Cate Blanchett has received nothing but glowing reviews and might become the third Field leading lady to nab an Oscar nomination.

Let's remember both directors' debuts to celebrate these buzzy premieres. Frankly, as much as I may admire some of their following efforts, Amores Perros and In the Bedroom remain my favorite titles from their filmographies…

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Venice Diary #01 - Tár, White Noise, and Princess

by Elisa Giudici

Hello readers! It's Venice time again. As with previous festivals, I'll be reviewing the movies with some festival experience details on the side. I screened three and a half movies (we'll get to the half at the end) in the first Day of the Mostra. Both the official opening night film White Noise and Princess in the Orizzonti section were a bit disappointing though both are far from failures. On the bright side, Cate Blanchett really delivers in Tár.

But first something a little spooky as Venice starts off on the wrong foot. This year Sala Darsena (the main screening room for press and industry) appears to be …cursed? During the screening of White Noise a bat (a real, actual bat!) flew in front of the screen...

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Venice at Home - Day 1: Noah Baumbach

by Cláudio Alves

Last year, The Film Experience welcomed a new series – Cannes at Home. While works by the world's greatest auteurs premiered at the Croisette, the project was an aid to combat FOMO for those not fortunate enough to attend the event. Now, it's time to introduce a new endeavor focused on the Venice Film Festival and its official selection. From August 31st to September 10th, this series will consider past works from the many filmmakers currently presenting their films in competition, offering a parallel program you can enjoy at home. At the same time, Elisa Giudici will be in Venice, updating us on the festivities.

First up, there's the opening film – White Noise. While we wait for Noah Baumbach's latest to arrive, let's recall the director's history…

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