Venice Film Festival will open on September 2, showcasing a slate of 20 films competing for the Golden Lion, with the lineup drawn from 1,972 submissions.
High‑profile entries and a gender gap in competition
The festival’s official competition includes works by veteran directors and a handful of newcomers. Among the most talked‑about titles is Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, starring Rooney Mara and her sister Kate Mara as twin sisters entangled in a 1980s stalking case. Early clips show the sisters dressed alike and speaking in unison, hinting at Herzog’s trademark blend of reality and heightened myth.
Only one of the competing films is directed by a woman, a fact highlighted by festival director Alberto Barbera, who noted the disparity and said the lack of female filmmakers is a concern that must be addressed. The competition jury, however, is chaired by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, offering a counterbalance to the low female representation.
Other notable entries include Hirokazu Kore‑eda’s adaptation of the manga Look Back, a coming‑of‑age story about two schoolgirls bonding over comic‑making.
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Documentaries and marathon‑length projects
Political documentaries also feature prominently. Alex Gibney’s Musk profiles the controversial tech entrepreneur, while Danny Boyle’s Ink takes aim at media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Both films add a current‑affairs edge to the festival’s traditionally auteur‑driven focus.
Long‑form works push endurance limits. Julia Loktev returns with My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile, a marathon‑length continuation of her documentary on Russian journalists forced to flee.
Outside competition, the festival will screen the Gallagher brothers’ documentary Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, marking their first public appearance together in years. The film reportedly explores the brothers’ relationship and the chaotic energy of their live performances, though details remain scarce.
South Korean director Lee Chang‑Dong returns with Possible Love, a remake of a chapter from Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Dekalog. The project assembles a cast featuring Jeon Do‑yeon, Sul Kyung‑gu, Zo In‑sung and Cho Yeo‑jeong, and explores intertwined marriages during a documentary shoot.
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In the middle of the festival’s offerings, the presence of several marathon‑length works echoes past editions where audiences have been asked to stretch their attention spans. This trend, while challenging for viewers, reflects the festival’s willingness to showcase ambitious projects that defy conventional runtime limits.
It runs until September 12.
Overall, the Venice Film Festival 2026 promises a mix of high‑profile stars, politically charged documentaries, and experimental formats that will test both creators and audiences. The event draws more than 30,000 creatives from around the world.
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