Venice Festival: Stars Amid Strikes as Optimism Floats
The Venice Film Festival is expressing optimism that movies under the SAG-AFTRA interim agreements will herald the arrival of their star-studded casts to the Lido. With slated entries yet to confirm their IA receipts, there is a chance that independent cinemas such as Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, and Richard Linklater’s Hit Man may bring on board talent including Penelope Cruz, Liam Neeson, and Jessica Chastain.
The SAG-AFTRA interim agreements allow these actors to promote the movies at film festivals. While several productions have already applied for this agreement, the focus has mainly been on indie projects currently being filmed. However, as festival season draws near, efforts are shifting towards securing promotional assistance from celebrities. Although the ongoing strike may deter some actors, others are reportedly willing to help, given the independent nature of these productions.
Venice chief, Alberto Barbera, indicates that if the strike continues, several SAG-AFTRA actors from studio and streaming movies may not attend the festival. Some of the celebrities might include Emma Stone, the star of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Searchlight picture Poor Things. Observers predict that actors enmeshed in studio and streaming films are unlikely to appear.
On the international front, actors such as Romain Duris, Pierre Niney, and Alba Rohrwacher could still make festival appearances, albeit, some might require their productions to apply for a waiver if they’re SAG-AFTRA members. Expected U.S. filmmakers on the Lido include Coppola, Linklater, and Wes Anderson. There is no confirmation yet on the presence of David Fincher or J.A. Bayona.
Regrettably, the film Challengers that stars Zendaya and was slated to open the festival withdrew due to the strike. Despite the surprise blow from the double U.S. strike, Barbera maintains that the final impact on Venice’s lineup has been somewhat “modest.”
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"Hopeful" may well be the new theme song for the Venice Film Festival this year. With the enfolding SAG-AFTRA drama, you could argue that this festival season promises to be more suspensive than a Hitchcock thriller. And who doesn’t love a good cliffhanger?
If, like me, you are a betting sort, casting your chips on the less likely actors to show up could make for a delightfully unexpected pay-off, I'm looking at you, Driver and Cruz. But let’s not kid ourselves, any red-carpet sightings amid this strike will be the cinematic equivalent of finding a golden ticket in your Wonka bar.
Barbera might as well be donning a juggler's uniform at this point, balancing between hopeful optimism and the stark realities of a strike-struck Hollywood. The festival echoes this sentiment, a bittersweet mixture of anticipation and painted-on smiles. Bless their hearts, even the reddest lipstick can't hide the anxieties beneath.
And then we have the infamous Challengers, the prodigal son that refuses to come to the feast. Oh, Zendaya, must you make our hearts ache so? We were all rooting for you. Perhaps they'll find a replacement as charismatic (if it's even possible).
Despite the tumultuous tide, Venice sails on, ever the stoic gondolier. “Modest” impact, says Barbera. Managed chaos, I say. But chaos with elegance, with cocktail dresses and gallant bows tie-tight around industry professionalism.
So here we are, on the precipice of a potentially reduced yet starlit Venice Film festival. Even with the SAG-AFTRA interim agreements, it's like watching the opening scene of a movie where everything appears quite serene just before all hell breaks loose. Time to pop some popcorn, folks! It promises to be quite a show.
