The Venice Film Festival, a perennial awards platform, revealed another powerhouse lineup Tuesday morning, including Todd Phillips’ Joaquin Phoenix-Lady Gaga starrer Joker: Folie à Deux, Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut The Room Next Door with Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, Luca Guadagnino’s Daniel Craig starrer Queer based on the William S. Burroughs novel, Pablo Larraín’s Maria Callas biopic Maria with Angelina Jolie, and Nicole Kidman A24 movie Babygirl.
Festival chief Alberto Barbera confirmed that Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe would all tread the carpet for Tim Burton’s festival opener, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
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This year’s festival will also include multiple episodes of four major series: Alfonso Cuarón’s Apple TV+ drama Disclaimer, starring Cate Blanchett; Joe Wright’s Mussolini series M. Son of the Century; Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The New Years; and Thomas Vinterberg’s Families Like Ours.
One significant omission is Netflix, which has had a regular and sizeable presence at the festival in recent years. However, it was clear from a ways out that this year the streamer had a smaller roster of obvious Oscar hopefuls.
Shortly after the lineup reveal today, we caught up with Barbera (who recently had his contract extended) to discuss this year’s promising lineup.
DEADLINE: You said this morning that you thought Joker 2 was going to surprise people. I gather the sequel is just as dark, if not more dark, than the first one…
ALBERTO BARBERA: It is. It’s a continuation of the story but the film is completely different from the first film. If you’re expecting the same in terms of violence or other things, you’ll be surprised. When I saw the film in L.A. at the beginning of February there were four or five of us in the screening room, including writer Scott Silver, and we were astonished, our mouths were open at the end of the screening. It is a darker film.
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DEADLINE: And it is a musical…
BARBERA: It’s a dystopian musical, or a musical of sorts. I think it’s one of the most daring, brave and creative films in recent American cinema. And I think it really confirms Todd Phillips as one of the most creative directors working at the moment.
DEADLINE: The trailer today was really intriguing. Do you think the Academy will respond to the film?
BARBERA: I would be surprised if not…
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DEADLINE: This morning you said that Daniel Craig really “put himself on the line” with his performance in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer. What did you mean by that?
BARBERA: In terms of him portraying a gay man in a very direct and brave way, including a couple of sex scenes that are quite full on. I think it’s the performance of his life so far. The same for Joaquin Phoenix in Joker 2. They are two really outstanding performances…
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DEADLINE: It sounds like the lineup this year could feature a few sexually charged projects…
BARBERA: Yes, wait until you see Disclaimer [laughs]. That’s quite full-on in an erotic sense. I was surprised. After years of absence of sex and eroticism in films, this is one of the biggest surprises in this year’s lineup – the prevalent theme of sex, and the number of erotic scenes and sexual behavior.
DEADLINE: That’s refreshing. A lot of streamer projects have been quite sanitised in that sense… Which films in the lineup do you think will stand out for the Academy?
BARBERA: Joker, Queer, Maria and the Almodóvar are among them. Maybe The Brutalist, too.
DEADLINE: How do they approach the singing in Maria?
BARBERA: It seemed to me that Angelina [Jolie] lip-synced the original songs.
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DEADLINE: You said this morning that we’d have to wait into the second week of the festival to see some of the big movies…
BARBERA: Yes, it was a matter of timing and schedules. The Almodóvar, Joker and Queer will be in the second half of the festival. Joker 2 will most likely be on Wednesday, for example.
DEADLINE: You have these four really intriguing series this year. And a lot in terms of episodes of each series…
BARBERA: Yes, we’re showing a lot of each. We have five and half hours of the Cuarón and that’s the shortest series we’re showing. Each series is very cinematic and has real filmic qualities.
DEADLINE: In terms of some of the omissions, Papal-themed Conclave was one some were expecting…
BARBERA: That was due to a conflict of dates…
DEADLINE: Was Gladiator ever an option?
BARBERA: No, it wasn’t ready.
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DEADLINE: Could we see any more big films added to the lineup?
BARBERA: I’m seeing one more film tomorrow.
DEADLINE: The Depp movie Modi was one some expected for Venice, and before it was announced for San Sebastian, Emmanuelle too. We assume you saw those films…
BARBERA: It wouldn’t be fair for me to discuss films that aren’t here…
DEADLINE: As always, you have a great docs lineup. The Russian film Russians At War by Anastasia Trofimova sounds fascinating for its critical approach to the invasion. Will the festival need to supply extra security for the filmmaker given its sensitive subject?
BARBERA: The filmmaker finished the film in Canada and France. She is planning to come with the film as far as we know. We haven’t discussed security yet but it will be something we discuss I’m sure.
DEADLINE: Can you pinpoint a gem or surprise for in Competition?
BARBERA: The film from Singapore, Stranger Eyes, by Yeo Siew Hua, is a very mature, interesting film, despite only being a second feature.
DEADLINE: There was some anxiety within the industry that the new government in Italy or the new Biennale president could try to exert political influence over the festival. Have you experienced anything in the way of censorship or political direction from them?
BARBERA: None. We’ve been working very well and I’ve worked exactly like I did before…
DEADLINE: No issues over the Mussolini series, for example…
BARBERA: None at all…That is based on a very popular book in Italy, anyway.
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