Venice 2026: Studios Absent, A-List Arrivals, and a Shifting Parity Debate
Venice’s 83rd edition lineup highlights a studio drought with major fall releases skipping the Lido, while Netflix and Disney scale back their presence; nonetheless a star-studded roster visits the festival (Pattinson in Primetime; Cruz, Bardem, Rooney Mara, Kate Mara, Orlando Bloom, Vikander, Sarandon among others). George Clooney and Ellen Burstyn will receive Golden Lions, and Maggie Gyllenhaal will head the jury. Luca Guadagnino returns with Joie de Vivre, a Bertolucci documentary, but the competition is notably short on women, with May-el Toukhny the only woman in the 20-title lineup, reviving questions about the 50-50 parity goal. The festival also leans into politically charged Gaza-related works and faces broader cultural-financial tensions, including EU funding disputes over Russia.