Venice opens with Boyle's 'Ink', Clooney honor

Danny Boyle’s “Ink” opened the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on Wednesday night at the Lido, launching an 11-day run that began with a Rupert Murdoch drama, a lifetime honor for George Clooney and an opening-day press conference shaped by questions about war and politics. La Biennale di Venezia said Boyle’s film had its world premiere on Sept. 2 in the Sala Grande after the opening ceremony. George Clooney was scheduled to receive a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement as the festival got underway, while Maggie Gyllenhaal arrived as jury president for the main competition. ### Why did Venice start with Danny Boyle’s “Ink”? La Biennale said “Ink” was selected as the opening-night film for the 2026 edition, with its world premiere set for Sept. 2 at the Palazzo del Cinema. Variety described the film as an account of how British tabloid The Sun helped propel Rupert Murdoch’s rise, putting a media-and-power story at the front of this year’s festival. (labiennale.org) Danny Boyle said in a Biennale statement that opening Venice with the film was “a huge honour” and identified James Graham as the screenwriter. The festival’s official selection page lists “Ink” among the titles for the 83rd edition, which runs on the Venice Lido from Sept. 2 to Sept. 12. (labiennale.org) ### What was George Clooney being honored for? George Clooney was due to receive one of the festival’s Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement during the opening ceremony on Wednesday. Festival coverage and program listings said Clooney was among the headline names attached to the first day on the Lido. (labiennale.org) The 83rd edition is also awarding a lifetime Golden Lion to Ellen Burstyn, according to festival-related coverage and program summaries published ahead of opening day. Clooney’s appearance, alongside Amal Clooney, made him the most prominent red-carpet figure at the start of the festival, according to opening-day reports. (wonderlandmagazine.com) ### What did Maggie Gyllenhaal say about politics? Maggie Gyllenhaal told reporters, “May as well get into it,” when she was asked whether cinema should engage politics at the opening jury press conference. Variety reported that the exchange came as wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and unrest in the United States, hung over the start of the festival. (wonderlandmagazine.com) The Hollywood Reporter said Gyllenhaal also addressed the limited number of women directors in competition, calling it “a systemic problem.” Those remarks added to the political and institutional questions that surfaced before the first gala screening had begun. (variety.com) ### Why was the opening described as politically charged? Variety reported before the ceremony that politics were already looming over the festival even as Venice prepared for its usual red carpets, premieres and awards-season attention. The outlet said Boyle’s Murdoch film, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and unrest in the United States had all become part of the backdrop to opening day. (hollywoodreporter.com) Deadline reported that Clooney and Gyllenhaal both spoke on opening day about cinema’s power to connect people in divisive times. That framing came from the participants themselves, not just from festival observers, and it gave the first day a more explicitly political tone than a standard curtain-raiser. (variety.com) ### What happens next on the Lido? The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs through Sept. 12 on the Lido di Venezia, according to La Biennale and festival program pages. The official selection includes the main competition overseen by Gyllenhaal’s jury, with additional premieres, red carpets and closing awards still ahead. (deadline.com) Sept. 12 is the scheduled end of the festival, when the competition jury will hand out the Golden Lion and other major prizes. Until then, the Lido remains the first major stop of the fall festival season, with Boyle’s “Ink” and Clooney’s honor setting the opening-day agenda. (visitlido.it) (labiennale.org)