Venice Film Festival opens Sept. 2

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival opened on Wednesday, Sept. 2, on the Lido, beginning a 10-day run that will end with the closing and awards ceremony on Sept. 12. Danny Boyle’s “Ink” was set as the opening-night film, with its world premiere scheduled after the opening ceremony in the Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema. (labiennale.org) George Clooney was due to receive a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the same ceremony. Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is presiding over the main competition jury, set an overtly political tone in early remarks to reporters. (labiennale.org) ### Why is Danny Boyle’s “Ink” the first film out? (labiennale.org) Danny Boyle’s “Ink” opened the festival with a world premiere on Wednesday night, according to La Biennale di Venezia. The festival said the film would screen in the Sala Grande after the opening ceremony, and the public schedule also listed a same-night showing at the PalaBiennale. La Biennale said “Ink” is part of the Venezia 83 competition. Boyle said in festival materials that he had been to the Biennale many times but called opening the festival with the film “a huge honour.” The official synopsis described the project as written by James Graham. (labiennale.org) ### What is Clooney being honored for on opening night? George Clooney was named the recipient of one of the festival’s Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement, with the honor awarded during the Sept. 2 opening ceremony. La Biennale said the decision was made by its board on the recommendation of artistic director Alberto Barbera. (labiennale.org) The festival’s 2026 homepage identified Clooney as the first Lifetime Achievement honoree of this year’s edition. Deadline reported that Clooney arrived in Venice on Wednesday ahead of the evening ceremony. ### What did Maggie Gyllenhaal say about politics and cinema? (labiennale.org) Maggie Gyllenhaal, serving as jury president, was asked at Venice whether cinema should be political. Variety reported that the question came amid discussion of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and unrest in the United States. Variety reported that Gyllenhaal answered that films are political. (labiennale.org) The main competition jury she leads also includes Kaouther Ben Hania, Daniel Blumberg, Francesco Casetti, Xavier Giannoli, Shahrbanoo Sadat and Johnnie To, according to Variety’s pre-festival coverage. (labiennale.org) ### How long does Venice run, and what happens next? The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs from Sept. 2 through Sept. 12, according to La Biennale’s festival pages and dates-and-deadlines documents. The same materials list Sept. 12 as the day of the closing and award ceremony. (variety.com) The public program shows competition and sidebar screenings continuing daily on the Lido after opening night. On Wednesday alone, the schedule listed “Ink” in competition alongside titles in Orizzonti and Giornate degli Autori, giving the festival its first full day of public screenings as the red-carpet ceremonies began. (variety.com) Greta Scarano and Nicolas Maupas are hosting the opening and closing nights, La Biennale said. The next milestone is the continuation of screenings through Sept. 12, when the jury led by Gyllenhaal is due to hand out the festival’s main prizes. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2)