Venice Film Festival 2023: 10 films from Woody Allen to Polanski

THEL Festival of the Venice Cinema 2023 is about to open its doors. What are the must-see films of the 80th edition? Here are some titles that can help you unravel the huge skein of names. Among the first on the list are Poor creatures! of the Greek Yorgos Lanthimos with Emma Stone in the guise of some sort of Frankenstein in female version, The Killer by David Fincher which promises to return to the gloomy atmospheres of Fight Club And Mastersecond work of Bradley Cooper about the composer Leonard Berstein, which has already made headlines after the launch of the trailer. Without to forget The Palace And Coupe de Chance Of Roman Polanski and Woody Allentwo directors who will not fail to raise controversy beyond the validity of the films themselves.

Also eagerly awaited Priscilla by Sofia Coppola, biopic about the wife of Elvis, Ferrari with Adam Driver as our Enzo and the posthumous film of William Friendkin, who just left us. There are also many Italians in the competition who deserve some attention: from the blockbuster by Saverio Costanzo Finally dawn with Lily Jamesset in Cinecittà in the 1950s, a Aeneas by Pietro Castellitto.

Venice Film Festival 2023: 10 films to see

Poor creatures! by Yorgos Lanthimos

The director of The Lobster returns to Venice after the success of The favouritein competition in 2018, again with Emma Stone (also co-producer but absent from the red carpet due to the SAG-Aftra strike). The actress, who unfortunately will not be at the Lido due to the Hollywood actors strikeinterprets Beautiful Baxtera young woman brought back to life by scientist Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe).

Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for worldliness, the woman, a female version of Frankenstein, elopes with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a lawyer with whom he has an overwhelming adventure across continents. The film, after the transition to Venice Film Festivalwill hit theaters on October 12th distributed by The Walt Disney Company Italy.

Master by Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper tries his hand at directing for the second time after the success of A Star is Born. AND Master still deals with a musical topic: the actor, co-producer together with Martin Scorsese And Steven Spielbergin fact engages with the biography of musician, pianist, composer and conductor Leonard Bernsteinplayed by Cooper himself.

The movie, come on Netflix from 20 Decemberwill also address the tumultuous marriage with television and stage actress Felicia Montealegreplayed by Carey Mulligan. The trailer has already made headlines due to the prosthetic nose worn by the actor. To appease spirits, the three children of Bernstein: «It is a fact that Leonard Bernstein had a very nice nose. Bradley opted to wear makeup to amplify his likeness, and we’re not against it. We are sure that our father would have agreed too» they declared. Master will still be talked about.

Ferrari by Michael Mann

The film is set in the world of car racing from the fifties and tells the story of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), a legend that built a myth that is still alive. Modena 1957. Enzo Ferraria former driver and builder, is experiencing a personal and professional crisis.

The company that ten years earlier he had created from nothing is in serious trouble and so is the marriage with his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz) is in deep crisis after the death of his son dino and the discovery of the existence of Pierothe son Ferrari had from an affair extramarital. In search of redemption, the “Drake” decides to stake everything on a speed race held in Italy: the legendary One thousand miles. They are also in the cast Patrick Dempsey And Jack O’Connell, as pilots Piero Taruffi and Peter Collins.

Priscilla by Sofia Coppola

Also Sophia Coppola returns to Venice after the Golden Lion a Somewhere. This time with the biopic up Priscilla Presleywife of Elvis from 1967 to 1973. After the film dedicated to the king of Rock ‘n’ Roll by Buz Luhrman comes a new chapter in the same story.

The film is based on the autobiography elvis and mewritten in four hands with Sandra Harmon and published in 1985. Details are described in the book of the couplesuch as the fact that their intimacy only started after the marriage. But there is also the life of Priscilla before he knew Elvis. In the role of the two protagonists the actress Calee Spaney And Jacob Elordiknown for the role of Nate Jacobs in the series Euphoria.

The Killer by David Fincher

«David Fincher returns to the violence of Fight Club», this was Alberto Barbera’s comment at the presentation of the program Venice Film Festival. After a disastrous misstep, an assassin (Michael Fassbender) challenges his clients, and himself, in a manhunt on a global scale. The film is based on a French comic.

«I had a certain curiosity about the genre revengeas a tool for creating voltage», commented the director. When Fassbender accepted the role the project started, thanks also to Plan B, the production house of Brad Pitt. One of the most awaited films of the Festival in which he also participates Tilda Swinton.

The Band you by Bertrand Bonello al Venice Film Festival 2023

In the near future where it reigns supreme artificial intelligence, human emotions are now considered a threat. To get rid of it, Gabrielle (Leah Seydoux) must purify his DNA: he then immerses himself in previous lives, where he meets again Louis, his great love. But the woman is conquered by fear, she has an omen: catastrophe is near.

«First of all I wanted to portray a woman and occupy myself with love and melodrama – commented the French director Bertrand Bonello – after I mixed the intimate and genre cinema, the classicism and modernitythe known and the unknown, the visible and the invisible and the fear of love».

Coupe de Chance by Woody Allen

Filmed in French, it is the 50th film by the American director (out of competition at the Venice Film Festival and released in Italy on December 6). The rumors that it would be the latest work of the prolific artist have been denied by Woody himself, who underlined that he is more than anything else discouraged from immediately throwing himself on another story for the situation of cinema with respect to streaming: a demoralizing panorama.

That said, Coupe de Chance – photography by Vittorio Storaro – recounts the triangle made up of Fanny (Lou de Laâge) Jean (Melvil Poupaud) – a married couple who live in a postcard Paris – and the latter’s former schoolmate, Alain (Niels Schneider). More than a triangle, a shift of interest from Jean. From which misunderstandings and crimes, passions and betrayals are born. Put like this, the plot brings to mind Match Pointsof 2005. But Storaro denied the comparison saying that: “The script does a masterful job of blending drama and comedy, calibrating them in very different ways each time. I can say that it takes place in the presentthere will be laughter, but also dark thrills».

Evil doesn’t exist by Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki village near Tokyo. One day, the villagers learn of a plan to build a luxury campsite, right next to Takumi’s house. The project will have a negative impact on the surrounding area and water supply. The ecological balance of the plateau is in danger. The director of Drive My CarOscar winner for Best International Film, will it still surprise us?

The Caine Mutinity Court-Martial by William Friedkin

William Friedkins just left us and al Venice Film Festival his latest film, which he had wanted to make for some time, arrives out of competition. When Maryka US Navy captain, shows signs of mental instability that endanger the safety of his vessel, the first mate relieves him of command and then arrives there court martial for mutiny.

Greenwald (Jason Clark), a skeptical lawyer, reluctantly defends Marykthe naval officer who took control of the ship from the tyrannical Captain Queeg (Kiefer Sutherland). The process proceeds and Greenwald is increasingly interested in clarifying: was the ship Caine a real mutiny or simply the courageous act of a group of sailors who could no longer trust their captain?

Finally dawn by Saverio Costanzo

A blockbuster for Xavier Costanzo who returns to cinema after two seasons of The brilliant friend. Finally dawn is the overnight trip of Mimosaa girl who, in the Cinecittà from the 1950s, makes an extra in a film about the first and only female pharaoh (LIly James) in Egyptian history. She will spend memorable hours that will transform her into a woman: she accepts the social invitation of a group of american actors and with them spends a endless night. “At dawn she will come out different, she will discover that courage is not about repaying the expectations of others, but about discovering who we are,” commented the director.

«Finally dawn it’s a movie about redemption of the simpleof the naïve, of those who are still capable of looking at the world with amazement – ​​he declared Constantius – Mimosa is a blank sheet, on which each of the characters he comes across writes his story, without fear of being judged». The film will be in theaters from December 14th.

The Palace by Roman Polanski

At the Palace Hotela building with a gothic and fairy-tale atmosphere nestled in the mountains of Switzerland, like every year, rich, spoiled and vicious guests converge from all over the world to celebrate the advent of the new year. An unrepeatable event brought them all together, the New Year’s Eve party of the year 2000. Serving their extravagant needs are a bevy of waiters, porters, cooks and receptionists.

It will be an evening full of extravagance and eccentricity. Also wafts in the air the millennium bug and the fear or hope that at the stroke of midnight the accounts of the big financiers will undergo unexpected fluctuations thanks to the blocking of computer systems. Roman Polanski signs his new film with Fanny Ardant after winning the Grand Jury Prize in Venice 2019 with The officer and the spy.

Venice Film Festival 2023: another 10 films to see in Venice 80

Commanderopening film of the Exhibition by Edoardo De Angelis

Daaaaaali! by Quentin Dupieux (Venezia 80 Competition)

Aeneas by Pietro Castellitto (Venezia 80 Competition)

Green Border by Agnieszka Holland (Venezia 80 Competition)

El Conde by Pablo Larrain

Making Of by Cedric Kahn (Out of competition)

Dogman by Luc Besson (Venezia 80 Competition)

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar by Wes Anderson (Out of Competition)

Slowly by Stefano Sollima (Venezia 80 Competition)

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