The 72nd Venice festival opens on 2 September with the world premiere of Baltasar Kormakur’s mountain drama Everest, starring Gyllenhaal and Robin Wright.
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“We are celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2015 and this first round of films offers a taste of the incredible lineup at this year’s festival”, said Handling.
Venice Biennale President Paolo Baratta and Italian Festival Director Alberto Barbera, right, pose prior to a press conference to present the Venice Film Festival, in Rome Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
On Tuesday it was announced that Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender as the Apple co-founder, will be the centrepiece at the New York Film Festival on 3 October. NYFF, which is opening with TriStar’s The Walk and closing with Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic – an acquisitions title – did not designate Jobs as a world premiere.
The Idol (Ya Tayr El Tayer), directed by Oscar-nominated Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad, is loosely based on Assaf’s life and follows his journey from growing up in Gaza to becoming an Arab music superstar. He told IANS, “I am ecstatic!”
Tom Hardy film Legend, in which he plays the notorious Kray twins, will also receive its worldwide premiere following its UK premiere on 9 September.
Benedict Cumberbatch fans may get a chance to see their idol for a third year in a row: the British actor is expected to attend the festival as part of the star-studded film Black Mass. Directed by American Scott Cooper, the mob thriller co-stars Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon and Joel Edgerton. Other well-known Canadian filmmakers are in the spotlight too. Talvar will also compete for People’s Choice Award at the festival.
Last year, TIFF introduced a controversial policy aimed at blunting Telluride’s emerging influence by banning any movie that wasn’t a world or North American premiere during its coveted first four days.
Interestingly, The Weinstein Company’s much lauded Cannes competition film Carol and Sony Pictures Classics’ much-awaited Truth are not on the TIFF schedule at this point.
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Also on the programme is The Septembers of Shiraz, starring Salma Hayek. The festival, now in its 40th year, offers a first look at numerous movies that will be vying for Academy Awards next year.
