How George Clooney's life is imitating his film Jay Kelly at this year's Venice Film Festival

The Venice Film Festival kicks off tomorrow which is when we can stop saying that it’s “too early” to talk about award season because with Venice, and then TIFF and Telluride happening next week, many of this year’s contenders will finally be screened; so we’ll have a better sense of how the race will be shaping up.

At least three highly anticipated films are premiering in Venice – Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, starring Kate and Rooney Mara; Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, and Steve Buscemi which everyone has on their Oscar contenders list; and of course Primetime, Lance Oppenheim’s film about Chris Hansen and To Catch a Predator, starring Robert Pattinson. The internet has not been normal about this movie and Robert’s performance in weeks, ever since the trailer came out. In combination with Rob’s previous releases this year in The Drama and The Odyssey, the discourse about his so-called “generational run” (which I think is hyperbolic, even though I enjoy him immensely) will be interminable.

Before all that though, it’s opening night. The main event at Wednesday's gala will be George Clooney receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Laura Dern will be giving the laudatio. She’s known him a long time and most recently co-starred with him in last year’s Jay Kelly, which premiered in Venice. And you’ll recall, in that film George character, Jay Kelly, went to Italy to receive a lifetime achievement. So it’s a case of real life imitating George Clooney, or Jay Kelly, whatever.

It’s not surprising that Venice would bestow the honour. George has been a steady presence on the Lido, as he’s premiered several films there over the last almost 30 years. And he and Amal also got married there. But back to his film history at the festival…

The last one was the aforementioned Jay Kelly. But the first one, I would argue, might be the best one he’s taken to Venice, a classic. Pretty much universally beloved. We are all Loretta.

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It would be crazy if Out of Sight is not mentioned tomorrow night during the ceremony. George has said many times how much he loved that experience and what the film means to him. Here are the Clooneys arriving in Venice.