This year promises a rich program at the Lido, featuring international stars for Venice Film Festival 2025, such as Julia Roberts, attending for the first time, George Clooney, Jude Law, Al Pacino, Christoph Waltz, and many others. New works from acclaimed directors will also take centre stage, including Gus Van Sant, Jim Jarmusch, Guillermo del Toro, and Yorgos Lanthimos.
Among the Italian filmmakers, beyond Sorrentino, anticipation is high for Luca Guadagnino’s After The Hunt (screening out of competition). Competing for the Golden Lion are Franco Maresco with Un film fatto per bene, Pietro Marcello with Duse, Leonardo di Costanzo with Elisa, and Gianfranco Rosi with Sotto le nuvole. Andrea Di Stefano will also present Il Maestro at the festival.
Notable out-of-competition screenings include Charlie Kaufman’s eccentric How To Shoot A Ghost; Nino, a documentary about Nino D’Angelo created by his son Toni; Marc By Sofia, Sofia Coppola’s intimate portrait of Marc Jacobs; and Orfeo by Virgilio Villoresi, inspired by Dino Buzzati. There will also be previews of series such as Portobello by Marco Bellocchio and Il Mostro by Stefano Sollima.
Here Are The Most Anticipated Films At The 2025 Venice Film Festival
La grazia by Paolo Sorrentino
Starring Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti, very little is known about the film at the director’s request. It is expected to be a romantic and timely drama set in Italy. The film will officially open the festival.
Frankenstein by Guillermo del Toro
Del Toro brings his long-awaited adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic, produced by Netflix. The film stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, with Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, and Felix Kammerer joining the cast.
After The Hunt by Luca Guadagnino
Presented out of competition, this film stars Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny. Roberts plays a professor who, after accusations of misconduct against a colleague, is forced to confront a hidden past that resurfaces with dangerous consequences.
The Wizard of the Kremlin by Olivier Assayas
With Paul Dano, Jude Law as Vladimir Putin, Alicia Vikander, and Zach Galifianakis, Assayas tells the story of a young Russian filmmaker who unexpectedly becomes an advisor to Putin during his rise to power in post-Soviet Russia.
Eojjeol Suga Eopda (No Other Choice) by Park Chan-wook
Park returns to Venice for the first time since 2005 with a new story about a man who suddenly loses his job, setting off a transformation that reshapes his life completely.
Dead Man’s Wire by Gus Van Sant
The highly anticipated return of Van Sant arrives with this out-of-competition film based on a real event. On February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis held Richard Hall hostage with a sawed-off shotgun. The cast features Al Pacino, Bill Skarsgård, and Dacre Montgomery.
Jay Kelly by Noah Baumbach
Baumbach presents a film starring George Clooney, Adam Sandler, and Laura Dern. It focuses on Jay Kelly, caught in a deep identity crisis. The film is among the most awaited of the festival.
A House of Dynamite by Kathryn Bigelow
Bigelow returns with an intense political thriller set inside the White House, centred around staff preparing for a potential missile strike on the United States. The cast includes Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, and Kyle Allen.
Bugonia by Yorgos Lanthimos
Lanthimos, known for The Favourite and Poor Things, presents a chilling story about a career woman kidnapped by her subordinate, who believes she is an alien invader. The film stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.
Father Mother Sister Brother by Jim Jarmusch
Jarmusch premieres at Venice for the first time with a family drama in which estranged siblings reunite after years apart, confronting unresolved tensions. The film stars Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, Tom Waits, and Charlotte Rampling.
Marc By Sofia by Sofia Coppola
Coppola showcases a deeply personal documentary about her friend Marc Jacobs. Out of competition, the film promises to be an authentic and moving portrait of the designer. It is highlighting his artistic fragility and visionary creativity.
This story first appeared on Grazia.it, Author: Valentina Barzaghi.
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