Recent articles
September 2, 2026
Danny Boyle Celebrated at Variety’s Venice Pre-Opening Party as ‘Ink’ Star Jack O’Connell Praises His Ability to ‘Take Us Inside a World’
Danny Boyle was celebrated with Variety’s Creative Impact in Directing Award on Monday during a Venice Film Festival pre-opening night party at the poolside terrace of the Hotel Excelsior. The Osca...
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September 1, 2026
Venice Film Festival to Kick Off With Steady Stream of Stars on Red Carpet and Politics Looming in the Background
The Venice Film Festival opens Wednesday with Danny Boyle’s “Ink,” a juicy exposé of how British tabloid The Sun propelled Rupert Murdoch’s rise to right-wing media baron, kicking off 11 days of bu...
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August 31, 2026
Francesco Carrozzini on His Venice AI Doc ‘Be Brave’ and Why ‘The Human Has to Come First’ (EXCLUSIVE)
New York-based Italian director Francesco Carrozzini is heading to the Venice Film Festival with “Be Brave” an 85-minute portrait of Renzo Rosso, founder of the Diesel fashion brand. The groundbrea...
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August 30, 2026
Laura Dern to Give George Clooney Venice Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
Laura Dern is set to give the Laudatio speech honoring George Clooney at Venice Film Festival where, as previously announced, he will be honored on Wed., Sept. 2, with a Golden Lion for Lifetime Ac...
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August 28, 2026
Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, Nobel Prize Winner Annie Ernaux and More Sign Open Letter Calling for Venice Film Festival to Take ‘Concrete Action’ in Support of Palestine
Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and directors Isabel Coixet and Matteo Garrone are among signatories of an open letter issued on Friday calling for the V...
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August 26, 2026
Italy’s RAI Cinema International Boards Edoardo De Angelis’ ‘The Fire Within You’ Ahead of Venice Launch, Reveals First Clip (EXCLUSIVE)
RAI Cinema International Distribution has acquired world rights to Italian director Edoardo De Angelis’ dark tragicomedy “The Fire Within You” ahead of its Venice competition launch. De Angelis, a ...
variety.com
August 25, 2026
Martin Scorsese Appointed Honorary President of Italy’s David di Donatello Academy
Martin Scorsese is set to be appointed honorary president of the David di Donatello Academy of Italian cinema, the entity that runs Italy’s equivalent of the Oscars. Scorsese’s appointment to the g...
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August 25, 2026
‘NAZA’ Documentary From ‘No Other Land’ Directors Acquired by MK2 Films Ahead of Venice Film Festival Premiere
French sales company MK2 Films has boarded “NAZA,” the new hot-button documentary from “No Other Land” directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor that was added on Monday to the Venice Film Festival c...
variety.com
August 25, 2026
Liza Soberano Joins Jury for Golden Globes Impact Prize for Documentary, Presented During Venice Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)
Filipino-American star Liza Soberano has joined the jury for the Golden Globes Impact Prize for Documentary, which will be presented by Artemis Rising Foundation during the upcoming Venice Film Fes...
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August 18, 2026
Fulvio Lucisano, Italian Producer of ‘Planet of the Vampires’ and ‘What Have You Done to Solange?,’ Dies at 98
Italian producer Fulvio Lucisano, who shepherded a slew of cult B-movies such as “Planet of the Vampires” and “What Have You Done to Solange?” and had a close rapport with Roger Corman, has died. H...
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August 17, 2026
Iranian Director Ali Asgari Unveils First Clip From Venice-Bound ‘A Bit of Light’: ‘This Trump Guy Is Threatening to Bomb Here Every Day’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Iranian director Ali Asgari, who was in Venice Horizons last year with dark satire “Divine Comedy,” will soon be back — in competition this time — with his new feature “A Bit of Light.” Variety is ...
variety.com
August 15, 2026
Locarno: Marco Cavazzin’s ‘Mutrion,’ Set in the Venice Lagoon, Scoops Leopards of Tomorrow Director Award
“Mutrion,” a short film set in the Venice lagoon by 26-year-old Italian director Marco Cavazzin, has scooped the best director award at the Locarno Film Festival’s Pardi di Domani (Leopards of Tomo...
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August 14, 2026
Cinema Guild Takes North American Rights on Éric Baudelaire’s ‘For the Moon’ Ahead of New York Film Festival Launch (EXCLUSIVE)
Indie distributor Cinema Guild has acquired North American distribution rights for documentary “For The Moon” (“Car la Lune”), directed by Éric Baudelaire, that will premiere in the Currents sectio...
variety.com
August 14, 2026
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Is Drawing Tourists to Milan Prompting an 18% Increase in Visitors to the Film’s Locations in Italy’s Fashion Capital
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” is making a heavenly impact on Milan. Just a few months after the theatrical release in May of the long-awaited sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada” – that was partly shot in...
variety.com
August 13, 2026
Oscars: Switzerland Selects ‘Who is Still Alive’ About Palestinians Who Escaped Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
“Who is Still Alive,” a documentary directed by Nicolas Wadimoff that gives voice to Gaza humanitarian crisis survivors and refugees, has been selected by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture as Swi...
variety.com
August 12, 2026
American Film Market Expands With Launch of AFM House, Site of Its Innovation Hub
The American Film Market is expanding its scope with the launch of a new Los Angeles venue called The AFM House that will be site of its Innovation Hub. The Independent Film & Television Allian...
variety.com
August 12, 2026
AI-Generated Turkish Series ‘Castle Walls’ Launches on Prime Video in What Is Being Touted as a Worldwide Streaming First – Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)
AI-generated historical drama “Castle Walls,” produced by Turkish TV powerhouse Ay Yapim, is launching Wednesday on Prime Video in what is being touted as the first show made end-to-end using artif...
variety.com
August 11, 2026
RTL Group Posts 3.9% Revenue Rise as Streaming Side Grows, Though Fremantle Continues to Suffer
European media conglomerate RTL Group on Tuesday posted first-half figures showing strong growth in streaming, with revenue up 3.9% to €2.9 billion ($ 3.3 billion), while revenues from its linear T...
variety.com
August 8, 2026
Giovanni Tortorici on Working With Monica Bellucci Who Plays an ‘Eccentric’ Aristocratic Matron in His Luca Guadagnino-Produced Film ‘Ketticè’
Emerging Italian director Giovanni Tortorici, whose feature debut “Diciannove” made a splash last year after launcing from the Venice Horizons section, is in competition at the Locarno Film Festiva...
variety.com
August 5, 2026
Cinema Ritrovato Chief Gianluca Farinelli Appointed Artistic Director of Italy’s David di Donatello Awards
Gianluca Farinelli, who is head of Italy’s venerable Il Cinema Ritrovato festival dedicated to cinematic treasures of the past, has been appointed artistic director of the David di Donatello award,...
variety.com
August 5, 2026
Sophie Fleur de Bruijn, Whose Spec Script ‘The One Month Mark’ Sold to Apple With Jennifer Lawrence Attached, Signs With CAA (EXCLUSIVE)
U.S. playwright-writer-director and performer Sophie Fleur de Bruijn, whose original romantic comedy spec script “The One Month Mark” recently sold to Apple, with Jennifer Lawrence attached, has si...
variety.com
August 5, 2026
Alba Rohrwacher-Starrer ‘A Common Story’ Gets Boarded by True Colours Ahead of its Venice and Toronto Premieres (EXCLUSIVE)
Italian sales company True Colours has taken world sales outside Italy on first-time director Anna Foglietta’s marriage drama “A Common Story” (“Una Storia”) starring Alba Rohrwacher, ahead of its ...
variety.com
August 4, 2026
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Lands Biggest Opening Weekend in Middle East Box Office History
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has broken box office records across the Middle East, scoring the region’s biggest opening of all time, according to Empire Entertainment, which serves as exclusive thea...
variety.com
August 3, 2026
CNN Appoints Stefano Pozzebon as Rome Correspondent, Boosting European Coverage (EXCLUSIVE)
CNN has announced the appointment of award-winning Italian journalist Stefano Pozzebon as an international correspondent based in its Rome bureau. Pozzebon will be responsible for covering major ne...
variety.com
July 31, 2026
‘The Odyssey’ Is Luring Tourists to the Sicilian Island That Stands In for Ithaca — and Could Generate $500 Million in Revenue
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and Italy have special ties that are generating rich returns. The Greek epic was partly shot on the island of Favignana off the west coast of Sicily — which stood ...
variety.com
July 30, 2026
Giorgio Armani Series in the Works From Fremantle-Owned Lux Vide and Iconic Designer’s Fashion House (EXCLUSIVE)
The life and career of Giorgio Armani is set to be the subject of a high-end TV series produced by Italy’s Lux Vide, which is collaborating with the fashion house founded by the iconic designer kno...
variety.com
July 28, 2026
Reply AI Film Festival Unveils Jury Featuring ‘The Lion King’ Director Rob Minkoff, ‘Twilight’ Helmer Catherine Hardwicke and More
The third edition of the Reply AI Film Festival — a competitive event dedicated to shorts made using AI that runs in tandem with the Venice Film Festival — has unveiled its selection and announced ...
variety.com
July 27, 2026
Venice Chief Alberto Barbera Under Fire for Lack of Female Directors in Competition: ‘It Is a One-Dimensional Selection’
Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera has sparked criticism from several Italian film organizations — including Women in Film Television and Media Italia — for this year’s sharp dr...
variety.com
July 24, 2026
The Pool Films Acquires Tokyo-Based Photographer and Director Xavier Tera’s Debut, ‘The Color of the Sun,’ Ahead of Venice Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Paris-based The Pool Films has taken world rights to coming-of-age drama “The Color of the Sun,” which marks the feature film debut of Tokyo-based photographer and commercials director Xavier Tera,...
variety.com
July 23, 2026
Venice Chief Alberto Barbera on Landing Robert Pattinson Film ‘Primetime’ at the Last Minute and Lack of U.S. Studios at the Festival: They Are ‘Experiencing an Identity Crisis’
Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera has pulled off a pretty impressive feat this year by assembling a buzzy lineup with boatloads of stars set to disembark on the Lido, despite having less m...
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