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What to Look for at the Venice Film Festival

السينما تجمع ما تفرّقه المسافات (مهرجان البندقية)
السينما تجمع ما تفرّقه المسافات (مهرجان البندقية)
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What to Look for at the Venice Film Festival

السينما تجمع ما تفرّقه المسافات (مهرجان البندقية)
السينما تجمع ما تفرّقه المسافات (مهرجان البندقية)

Frankenstein's monster, Vladimir Putin, vindictive bosses, nuclear war and at the end a Golden Lion. The 82nd Venice Film Festival begins on Wednesday.

Dozens of stars are expected on the Lido, major directorial talents are bidding for comebacks and a strong field of films are competing.

AFP selects some of the anticipated highlights and talking points for the August 27 to September 6 glam-fest:

The main competition

A total of 21 films are in the running for the Golden Lion, the festival's top prize, won last year by "The Room Next Door" by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

The most keenly awaited titles include:

- "The Wizard of the Kremlin" by Olivier Assayas

An adaptation of a best-selling book of the same name about Putin's rise to power, featuring British actor Jude Law as the Russian president.

"A House of Dynamite" by Kathryn Bigelow

The first film since 2017 by the Oscar-winning director of "Zero Dark Thirty" which sees White House officials grappling with a missile and nuclear weapons crisis.

"The Smashing Machine" by Benny Safdie

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is cast in what appears a tailor-made role as an ageing wrestler, with Emily Blunt as his wife.

"The Voice of Hind Rajab" by Kaouther Ben Hania

This drama reconstructing the real-life killing of a six-year-old Palestinian girl by Israeli troops in Gaza is set to be one of the festival's most political films.

"The Testament of Ann Lee" by Mona Fastvold

A musical film about a religious sect in the United States by the co-writer of "The Brutalist", again working with her director husband Brady Corbet.

"Frankenstein" by Guillermo del Toro

A new big-budget version of the cinema classic by the Mexican director, starring hard-working Oscar Isaac, who is featured in two major Venice films.

"Jay Kelly" by Noah Baumbach

A comedy co-written by Baumbach and his wife Greta Gerwig, featuring an A-list cast led by George Clooney, who plays an actor with an identity crisis.

"Bugonia" by Yorgos Lanthimos

The latest collaboration between the Greek director and Emma Stone, who won an Oscar for her performance in their 2023 film "Poor Things", which won Venice's Golden Lion.

"No Other Choice" by Park Chan-wook

The South Korean auteur Park returns to Venice after two decades with a thriller about a vindictive manager who loses his job.

"The Stranger" by Francois Ozon

An ambitious new adaptation of French author Albert Camus's masterful novella of the same name, shot in black-and-white.

"Nuhai" ("Girl") by Shu Qi

Taiwanese superstar Shu makes her directorial debut with a story about multiple generations of women.

Best of the rest -

"After the Hunt" by Luca Guadagnino

Julia Roberts makes her Venice debut for the premiere of this cancel culture-themed drama about a sexual assault case at a prestigious American university.

"In the Hand of Dante" by Julian Schnabel

Held up by a dispute between the director and his financial backers over its 150-minute length, this crime thriller stars Isaac, with cameos from veterans Al Pacino and John Malkovich.

- "Dead Man's Wire" by Gus Van Sant

The American director's first movie since 2018 centers on a real-life hostage drama at a loan agency, with performances by Bill Skarsgard and Pacino.

Others to watch include big-budget French thriller "Chien 51", which will close the festival, and "Scarlet" by Japanese animator Mamoru Hosoda.

Documentaries

German director Werner Herzog's latest film, "Ghost Elephants", about a mythical herd of elephants in Angola, stands out.

So too does a portrait of veteran American journalist Seymour Hersh by Laura Poitras, who returns to Venice after winning its top prize in 2022 for her documentary about activist photographer Nan Goldin's campaign against the opioid industry.

Other headliners include Sofia Coppola's intimate documentary about her friend the fashion designer Marc Jacobs, as well as "Broken English" by Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth about British singer Marianne Faithfull, who died in January.

Viewers will need patience -- and a strong bladder -- for "Director's Diary", a five-hour epic by dissident Russian director Alexander Sokurov based on his personal diary notes from the Soviet era.

Also showing

Netflix has three films in competition -- "Frankenstein", "A House of Dynamite" and "Jay Kelly" -- showcasing some of its best hopes of clinching its first Best Picture award at the Oscars next year.

The increasingly long run-times of films -- averaging 2h15 to 2h30 at Venice, according to Artistic Director Alberto Barbera -- caused him to grumble about the difficulty of fitting them all in the schedule.

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Entertainment

Manga Productions Announces Its New Project 'Henna' in Collaboration with Bilibili

The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)
The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)
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Manga Productions Announces Its New Project 'Henna' in Collaboration with Bilibili

The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)
The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)

Manga Productions, a subsidiary of Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk,” is participating in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, one of the world’s leading festivals dedicated to animation and creative content, taking place from June 23 to 26 in Annecy, France.

The company is showcasing a selection of its creative projects and productions that reflect Saudi identity and culture, while further strengthening its international presence and building strategic relationships with global partners in the entertainment and content industry, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

During the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Manga Productions announced its new animated short film project, “Henna”, in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, representing the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in a story that reflects the company's commitment to creating culturally rooted, inspiring human stories for global audiences.

“Henna” marks the first co-produced animation project between Bilibili and an Arab company, and is one of the first outcomes of the strategic partnership signed between Manga Productions and Bilibili in August 2025 to strengthen collaboration in content creation, production, and distribution.

This step is part of Manga Productions’ efforts to expand the reach of Saudi content and Arab creativity in international markets, particularly in China, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital entertainment markets. Bilibili is one of China's leading digital platforms, with more than 107 million daily active users, opening new opportunities for Saudi content to reach a broad global audience.

CEO of Manga Productions Dr. Essam Bukhary stated: "Our participation in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival reflects Manga Productions’ commitment to strengthening the global presence of Saudi creative content and building strategic partnerships that contribute to the growth of the animation industry and cultural sector in the Kingdom.”

“We are also proud to announce our new animated short movie, ‘Henna’, in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The project reflects our strategy of creating impactful human stories inspired by our local culture and presented through a global perspective, while showcasing the talent and creativity of the Saudi youth in whom we place great confidence and high expectations,” he added.

“Henna” Director Riyadh Al-Dossary said: “‘Henna’ carries a human message that reflects the power of one’s inner voice and self-expression despite challenges. Through this project, we aim to deliver a visually engaging and emotionally authentic experience inspired by our local culture in a language that resonates with global audiences.”

Manga Productions also highlighted the global success of the Saudi-Japanese anime series “Asateer2: Future’s Folktales”, co-produced with Toei Animation and created with the participation of more than 50 Saudi artists, which achieved over 151 million views and 450+ media features across five continents.

Manga Productions also announced the global expansion of the series through multiple languages and platforms, including the Arabic version on Shahid, Japanese version on Lemino, and French version on Anime Digital Network, in addition to the English and Spanish versions.

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is considered one of the most prominent global platforms bringing together leading animation studios, content creators, distributors, and investors from around the world, contributing to the exchange of expertise, the development of partnerships, and the exploration of the latest trends in the animation industry.

This participation aligns with Manga Productions’ strategy to expand its global impact and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a growing hub for creative industries, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to support the creative economy and strengthen the Kingdom’s cultural presence internationally.

Entertainment

Angelina Jolie Turns Personal Pain into Performance for ‘Couture’ Film

Actress Angelina Jolie arrives for a special Maleficent Costume Display at Kensington Palace in London in ths file photo taken May 8, 2014. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor/Files
Actress Angelina Jolie arrives for a special Maleficent Costume Display at Kensington Palace in London in ths file photo taken May 8, 2014. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor/Files
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Angelina Jolie Turns Personal Pain into Performance for ‘Couture’ Film

Actress Angelina Jolie arrives for a special Maleficent Costume Display at Kensington Palace in London in ths file photo taken May 8, 2014. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor/Files
Actress Angelina Jolie arrives for a special Maleficent Costume Display at Kensington Palace in London in ths file photo taken May 8, 2014. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor/Files

Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie faced one of her deepest fears on screen for the French film "Couture" - being diagnosed with cancer.

Based on personal experiences of writer and director Alice Winocour, Jolie plays fictional American filmmaker Maxine Walker, who, while producing a film to accompany a runway show for Paris Fashion Week, discovers she has breast cancer.

Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of breast cancer at the age of 56, and Jolie underwent a double mastectomy in 2013 after discovering she was carrying the same genetic mutation as her mother.

"I thought often of my mother and ⁠how much I ⁠think this film would have been wonderful for her when she was going through this," she told Reuters.

But it wasn't just about her mother; Jolie also got involved to bring Walker’s experience to the world.

"You sit in that chair, and whether it's cancer or anything, whether you're male or female, we've all ⁠had that moment. We've all had that moment where we've gotten some news that has shifted our lives," the “Maria” actor said.

Jolie had to go through a scene where operation lines were placed on her chest by an oncologist.

"It felt a strange moment to have Hollywood in my hospital room," Jolie said.

"Here I am, you know, in my gown, getting my needles, doing all the stuff that I do, but now we are sharing it. And so, it felt very vulnerable,” she added.

Alongside Jolie, the ⁠cast of “Couture” ⁠includes Ada, played by Anyier Anei, who is a model struggling with the fashion industry putting her on a pedestal, and make-up artist Angele, played by Ella Rumpf, who is trying to break out of the fashion scene by becoming a writer.

Jolie hopes that each character’s story will resonate with viewers.

"I think what we found in doing this, and hopefully what the audience will feel, is that we're connected," the 51-year-old said.

"We're connected as human beings, and we all go through something... And it's very necessary to pull us all through being human,” Jolie added.

“Couture” arrives in American movie theaters on Friday.

Entertainment

Clive Davis, Music Industry Starmaker, Dies at 94

Legendary US record producer Clive Davis speaks during the “Recording Academy and Clive Davis' Salute To Industry Icons” pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 31, 2026. (AFP)
Legendary US record producer Clive Davis speaks during the “Recording Academy and Clive Davis' Salute To Industry Icons” pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 31, 2026. (AFP)
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Clive Davis, Music Industry Starmaker, Dies at 94

Legendary US record producer Clive Davis speaks during the “Recording Academy and Clive Davis' Salute To Industry Icons” pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 31, 2026. (AFP)
Legendary US record producer Clive Davis speaks during the “Recording Academy and Clive Davis' Salute To Industry Icons” pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 31, 2026. (AFP)

Clive Davis, the record company lawyer who became one of the music industry's most powerful figures, launching or resurrecting the careers of such superstars as Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys, has died, his family confirmed to the New York Times. He was 94.

Earlier this year, Davis was hospitalized following an upper respiratory issue and was released a few days later. He died in his Manhattan apartment, the Times reported. Messages sent to representatives for Davis were not immediately returned Monday.

Unlike other record moguls whose influence waned as they got older, Davis' might only seemed to grow over his career, which spanned more than five decades, various genres and multiple labels. Into his 80s, he was directing the careers of everyone from Barry Manilow to “American Idol” winners Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.

His success stories were staggering, with Houston a crowning achievement and devastating tragedy: Davis signed her to his Arista record label when she was just a teen and turned her into America's reigning pop princess: She racked up multiple No. 1 hits and became one of the top-selling artists in pop history before drug abuse hobbled her career. She died in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2012 just hours before she was to appear at the annual pre-Grammy Awards gala hosted by Davis, who had been convinced she was turning her life around.

“Maybe I should have been more skeptical,” Davis wrote in his 2013 memoir, “The Soundtrack of My Life,” “but I’ve always been optimistic, and I felt hopeful. It felt like old times.”

He also launched the career of multiplatinum, multiple Grammy winner Keys — and was quick to note other talents he signed, including Joplin and Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears and other “all-timers,” as he so often put it.

“I signed Patti Smith, the great Renaissance woman ... I signed Lou Reed ... I signed the Grateful Dead,” he proudly touted in an interview with The Associated Press in 1999.

But Davis didn't simply have an eye for new talent — he also knew how to keep veterans relevant decades after their first hit. Aretha Franklin, whose legend was made at Atlantic Records, flourished in her later years at Arista Records, as did Luther Vandross, who made his last albums for another Davis label, J Records.

Davis was also responsible for conceiving of the 1999 album “Supernatural,” which paired guitar god Santana with some of the day's hottest talents. The record went on to win a record tying eight Grammys and gave Santana more success than he had ever enjoyed in his decades-long career.

He had middle aged star Rod Stewart trade in his rock hits for standards from “The Great American Songbook.” The album, released in 2003, sold millions and was so successful it spawned four titles in all.

Davis didn’t always make the right choices; he turned down a chance to sign up Meatloaf. And he and his collaborators didn’t always agree. He and producer David Foster fought bitterly over the arrangement for Houston’s all-time hit, a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Manilow strongly objected to recording “I Write the Songs,” noting that he didn’t even write the song, a Bruce Johnston ballad that became a signature hit for Manilow, who would have similar latter-day success mining the music of the 1950s, 60s and '70s.

“He's just brilliant at picking ideas he thinks the public will connect,” raved Manilow, who had worked with Davis since he was a budding singer at Columbia Records.

Davis also had his struggles. Though he became president of Columbia Records in 1967 after joining the label in 1960 as a lawyer, by 1973 he was gone in a bitter fallout. The label accused him of mismanagement of funds and he was fired. Although Davis says he was later cleared, it wasn't the end of his problems; he later was indicted on tax evasion charges, pleaded guilty to one count and had to pay a $10,000 fine.

However, Davis would declare victory: he says Columbia gave him the money to start Arista Records to resolve the dispute, and the label would become a huge success with artists like country superstars Brooks & Dunn, sassy R&B group TLC, Babyface, Houston, Franklin and others.

The label had huge success with a debut act — Milli Vanilli. But the male pop duo would become the embarrassment of the industry when, after winning a Grammy, it was revealed that they weren't actually singing their songs (Davis blamed the debacle on the label's European division, which he said signed them; the group was later stripped of its best new artist Grammy).

In 1999, as Arista was celebrating its 25th anniversary, Davis faced another crisis: the label's then-parent company, BMG Entertainment, a division of German media conglomerate Bertelsmann, wanted him to retire; most of its executives were eased out by 60, and Davis was in his mid-60s.

In 2000, despite support from his superstar roster, the company ousted him in favor of producer and songwriter Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who would later become chairman of Island/Def Jam.

However, instead of severing its ties with Davis, BMG helped him launch J Records in what BMG has described as the largest record company startup ever created. Vandross was one of his initial artists, along with forgettable acts like the boy-band O-Town.

J Records was a success from the start, though, and only grew in stature with the arrival of a young singer named Keys, a piano-playing singer-songwriter with powerful pipes and dramatic R&B songs. Keys' albums would go on to sell millions and win several Grammys.

His influence grew even more when Davis was tapped for BMG's US division.

He became a key backer of the careers of the winners of “American Idol,” guiding many albums to platinum status. The show's link to Sony BMG came through a deal between Davis and 19 Recordings Unlimited, the label managed by “Idol” creator Simon Fuller.

In 2007, however, Davis disagreed with the direction of Clarkson's “My December,” and she publicly criticized him. The album was a flop, and she later apologized.

In 2008, Sony BMG replaced Davis as chairman and chief executive officer of the BMG label group, giving him the title of chief creative officer.