Eye For Film >> News >> Venice opener announced

Venice opener announced

Guiseppe Tornatore's Baavia to headline.

by Jennie Kermode

This year's Venice Film Festival, set to run between the 2nd and 12th of September, will open with Guiseppe Tornatore's new film Baavia, the organisers have announced.

Set in the Sicilian village of Bagheria (known as Baavia to its occupants), this autobiographical film, epic in scope, stars Francesco Scianna and Margaret Madè, with support from Monica Bellucci. It was made on a budget of around £20M, making it the most expensive Italian film for years, and its producers have high hopes of winning this year's Golden Lion award.

Tornatore is best known in the UK as the writer-director of heartwarming fable Cinema Paradiso, which won an Oscar in 1990. He has previously served on the Venice Film Festival jury.

Share this with others on...

Movies out this week include:

The Beast The Delinquents Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga The Garfield Movie Gasoline Rainbow Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban A House In Jerusalem In Flames New Life Stopmotion
News

An island in the darkness Moin Hussain on creating the world of Sky Peals

Mirroring Monica Vitti Roberta Torre on Monica Vitti, Alba Rohrwacher, Shigeru Umebayashi and Mi Fanno Male I Capelli

Bonello, the time traveller France’s maverick on sci-fi, loneliness, music and working with Léa Seydoux

Secrets through the smoke Anna Hints and Tushar Prakash on code-switching and capturing the unsaid in Sauna Day

The weight of the past Muayad Alayan and Sheherazade Farrell on Palestinian experiences and A House In Jerusalem

Cousins and Swinton take a bow at Karlovy Vary World premiere of documentary about pioneering woman artist

More news and features

News
Festival Image

We're bringing your news, reviews and interviews from the Muslim International Film Festival, as well as covering Inside Out in Toronto.



We're looking forward to the Tribeca Film Festival, Docs Ireland and the Fantasia International Film Festival.



We've recently covered Cannes, Fantaspoa, Queer East, Visions du Réel and New Directors/New Films.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact
Competition Picture

More competitions coming soon.