For the first time, global star Julia Roberts will participate in the 82nd Venice Film Festival, running from Wednesday, August 27 to September 6, with the film ‘After the Hunt’ directed by Luca Guadagnino. The film addresses a sexual assault case at a prestigious American university. Co-stars include Andrew Garfield, Chloë Sevigny, Ayo Edebiri, Michael Stuhlbarg, Thaddea Graham, Will Price, Bella Glanville, and Christine Day.

A procession of prominent cinema stars will arrive by water taxi to the coastal city of Venice to attend the festival, including Jude Law, Emma Stone, Julia Roberts, and George Clooney, attracting hundreds of fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars.

Notable directors at the 82nd edition include Werner Herzog, Jim Jarmusch, Kathryn Bigelow, Gus Van Sant, and Park Chan-wook, who returns after 20 years.

The Venice Festival is a major international cinema event showcasing big-budget films with high commercial potential, such as ‘The Smashing Machine’ directed by Benny Safdie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as an aging wrestler, alongside smaller independent works.

Despite the glamorous backdrop, some anticipated films focusing on current events are expected to spark wide controversy.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine, actor Luca portrays Russian President Vladimir Putin during his rise to power in ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ directed by Olivier Assayas.

The latest film by director Kawthar Ben Hania, ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab,’ is set in Gaza and tells the true story of a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed in January 2024 by Israeli forces along with six family members while trying to flee Gaza City.