Each day during the 2024 Venice Film Festival, IndieWire will refresh this article with reviews of the day’s screenings, events, and discussions.
Forgive me for starting with a somewhat niche concern, but as someone who frequently attends premieres to gauge audience reactions for award considerations, my experience at the 2024 Venice Film Festival has been particularly stressful.
While attendees can purchase tickets for screenings online—standard at most major film festivals—many significant premieres at Venice are not available for press and industry passholders. This has led me to spend a substantial part of the last two days desperately inquiring if anyone had connections to get into the first public screening of Pablo Larraín’s “Maria.”
Much of yesterday was spent in a frenzy trying to secure a spot at the opening ceremony and the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” premiere. I ended up booking last-minute press and industry screening tickets for both films just to be safe. So, while other film enthusiasts eagerly await their opportunity to see these sought-after films, I now hold the rather unusual distinction of having attended the same Venice premiere twice in a single day, two days in a row. Not the worst scenario, but certainly not the glamorous experience I had anticipated for my first visit to La Biennale.
On a brighter note, the benefit of Cate Blanchett starring in a TV series that screened in its entirety at the festival is her presence for two days filled with press and premieres. At the press conference for “Disclaimer” on Apple TV+, the two-time Oscar winner eloquently noted how private discussions might be more effective than public shaming while humorously shutting down an inquiry from an international reporter about her attire for the show’s world premiere: “I’m going naked.” Both responses connected well to discussions around her limited series directed by Alfonso Cuarón, where she portrays a documentarian grappling with her past as it resurfaces through a provocative novel.
Before we pivot back to the major highlight of the festival, other noteworthy films that made their world premiere on August 29 include Errol Morris’ latest documentary, “Separated,” focusing on the Trump Administration’s border control policy that separated families. While the film has yet to secure a distributor, it undoubtedly appeals to a devoted audience of MSNBC loyalists, being an adaptation of a book by NBC News Political Correspondent Jacob Soboroff, a beloved figure in many suburban homes.
South American cinema was in the spotlight with “Kill the Jockey” by Argentine filmmaker Luis Ortega and “Apocalypse in the Tropics” from Oscar-nominated Brazilian director Petra Costa. Additionally, the documentary “Riefenstahl” and the narrative film “September 5,” featuring Peter Sarsgaard, provided fresh perspectives on controversial Olympics broadcasts in the wake of the recent Paris Games.
However, the main topic of conversation has been Angelina Jolie, who is promoting her biopic of Maria Callas, which Netflix has recently acquired for U.S. distribution. During the press conference for “Maria,” she deftly redirected talk about her ongoing divorce from Brad Pitt, yet acknowledged that her personal struggles influenced her portrayal of the opera legend.
At the film’s world premiere, attendees eagerly lined the lobby, transforming the venue into a steamy waiting area, just to catch a glimpse of Jolie entering the Sala Grande. Initially, it was difficult to gauge the audience’s reaction. Similar to the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” premiere, “Maria” included moments of unexpected humor that drew little response from the crowd. Were they captivated or dismayed by Larraín’s latest portrayal of an iconic woman?
It wasn’t until the title card appeared on screen—following a montage of actual photos of Callas—that the audience began to applaud, and their cheers did not wane until after the credits rolled, prompting Larraín to guide his cast and crew out of the theater amid the house lights being turned on to end the event punctually.
This level of enthusiastic feedback would likely be overwhelming for anyone, making it understandable that the film’s reception brought Jolie and her team to tears. If the Venice audience serves as a bellwether for wider public response, however, Jolie and her collaborators may need to prepare for much more of that emotional intensity.
For further insights on the 2024 Venice Film Festival, check out IndieWire’s diary entry summarizing the highlights from Day One.
