The Venice Film Festival revealed its lineup yesterday and, just as it was with TIFF the day before, after last year’s strikes muted the brilliance of the stars, they’re coming back with the dial cranked to max with huge names expected on the Lido at the end of the summer. And so many queens of cinema expected to make a push for award season. Which is why we’re focusing here on films in competition. 

 

As Sarah wrote in her post previous to this one, Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux, with Joaquin Phoenix returning in the title role alongside Lady Gaga this time, is among the most anticipated titles. That’s two Oscar winners right there. And one of them is a pop queen. But the queens keep coming. 

 

Two more Oscar winners, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, are in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door, his first English-language film and Pedro has not been shy about his ambitions here. He is known for a fast turnaround, and apparently this film only wrapped like three months ago and he rushed it to get it into Venice for contention, the man wants that directing Oscar! The Room Next Door has been described as a spiritual sequel to his film Parallel Mothers, and Penelope Cruz won Best Actress in Venice and took that momentum all the way to an Oscar nomination that year. 

 

Then there’s Nicole Kidman, in Halina Reijn’s Babygirl starring Nicole and Harris Dickinson about a CEO’s affair with a younger man. And, of course, Angelina Jolie in Pablo Larraín’s Maria which has been expected for weeks to make the Venice list but the fact that it will screen in competition is the news. It’s not surprising or shocking, but it’s an update. Larraín’s previous works, Jackie and Spencer, were well-received in Venice, and this is one of the reasons why people have been talking about Angelina as a possible Oscar nominee – just like ALL the women I’ve listed above. 

The internet is already pretty excited about this with the addition of more queens in Venice titles that are screening out of competition, like Cate Blanchett, Monica Bellucci, Zhang Ziyi, and more. 

 

Plus… Winona Ryder. Which sets up a potential Girl, Interrupted reunion?!

Seriously, I don’t give a sh-t about whatever potential Brange run-in, give me Lisa and Susanna and I’ll never ask for anything else. Also, Angelina and Brad Pitt’s people will undoubtedly go to the greatest lengths to avoid any encounter. Let’s see how that looks when the schedule comes out.