From Yorgos Lanthimos to Guillermo del Toro, Venice 82 promises a lineup of bold auteurs, star-driven dramas, and awards contenders that will shape the fall season.

The Venice International Film Festival has always been more than a showcase — it’s a launchpad for global cinema. Over its 82 editions, the festival has elevated filmmakers, sparked political debate, and set the stage for Oscar campaigns that dominate headlines well into the new year. From Brokeback Mountain to Roma and Poor Things, Venice has proven itself to be the festival where art meets momentum, where critical darlings collide with Hollywood giants.

This year’s program, running August 27 to September 6, reflects both that legacy and the urgency of our moment. Venice 82 combines the grandeur of auteurs returning to the Lido with the discovery of new voices demanding attention. It’s a lineup that feels like a referendum on cinema itself: can spectacle coexist with intimacy? Can political urgency live alongside pure cinematic pleasure? With films ranging from gothic horror to historical epics, and from war dramas to satirical comedies, Venice 82 positions itself as one of the most consequential festivals of the decade.

films to watch at The 82nd Annual Venice International Film Festival

Bugonia | Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

After Poor Things won the Golden Lion in 2023, Yorgos Lanthimos returns with Bugonia, a surreal fable set in manicured suburban landscapes with a sting in its tail. Known for combining absurdist humor with biting social critique, Lanthimos dives into themes of conformity, consumerism, and nature’s revolt.

With his signature blend of deadpan delivery and lush visual framing, Lanthimos transforms a deceptively idyllic neighborhood into a stage for rebellion and chaos. The film’s mysterious narrative, populated by sharply dressed characters and sudden eruptions of violence, is poised to cement his reputation as one of Venice’s favorite provocateurs.

The Smashing Machine | Dir. Benny Safdie

Benny Safdie steps into the director’s chair solo with The Smashing Machine, a bruising portrait of MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Starring Dwayne Johnson in a career-redefining turn, the film strips away the spectacle of combat sports to reveal the psychological toll of violence, addiction, and fame.

Safdie, known for Uncut Gems and Good Time, crafts an unflinching and claustrophobic vision of masculinity pushed to its breaking point. Early stills of Johnson battered in the ring hint at a raw, transformative performance that could catapult him into awards conversations — and make The Smashing Machine one of Venice 82’s most-discussed titles.

Frankenstein | Dir. Guillermo del Toro

Few projects have generated more anticipation than Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. With Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as his monstrous creation, the film revisits Mary Shelley’s gothic novel with del Toro’s signature mix of lush design, emotional grandeur, and haunting horror.

Filmed with practical sets and baroque detail, Frankenstein is expected to be both a tragic romance and a meditation on power, obsession, and alienation. As with The Shape of Water, del Toro uses fantasy to reveal something deeply human — positioning Frankenstein as a likely Oscar frontrunner out of Venice.

After the Hunt | Dir. Luca Guadagnino

Following the high-octane Challengers, Luca Guadagnino pivots to a quieter, more enigmatic register with After the Hunt. Starring Julia Roberts, the film is a tale of betrayal, aging, and survival within an elite European social circle. Guadagnino’s gift for sensual detail — clothes, wine, glances — promises to turn every scene into a seduction.

For Roberts, it’s a bold departure into darker territory, a role that could reassert her as one of the great American actresses in international cinema. Guadagnino’s ability to balance erotic tension with narrative restraint positions After the Hunt as one of Venice 82’s likely critical triumphs.

Father Mother Sister Brother | Dir. Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch brings his minimalist wit and eccentric eye to Father Mother Sister Brother, a quirky family drama about intergenerational misunderstandings. With Jarmusch’s ensemble style and penchant for dry humor, expect offbeat rhythms, long silences, and bursts of absurdity.

Venice has always embraced Jarmusch as a master of cool detachment, and this latest feature continues his exploration of human connection amid cultural noise. While not overtly awards-driven, the film will likely charm cinephiles and critics who favor Jarmusch’s idiosyncratic worldview.

The Testament of Ann Lee | Dir. Mona Fastvold

Mona Fastvold (The World to Come) turns to 18th-century religious fervor with The Testament of Ann Lee, a sweeping historical drama about the founder of the Shaker movement. With Amanda Seyfried in a transformative performance, the film captures the ecstasy and danger of spiritual devotion.

Shot with candlelit intimacy and a painterly eye, The Testament of Ann Lee balances mysticism and repression, creating a sensory immersion in belief, ritual, and power. Expect this one to resonate with audiences drawn to feminist retellings of history.

Dead Man’s Wire | Dir. Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant returns with Dead Man’s Wire, a tense drama based on a real-life wiretapping scandal. With sharp period detail and a cast led by Paul Dano, the film explores surveillance, paranoia, and the cost of truth.

Van Sant, long a Venice staple, uses his elliptical style to probe how institutions manipulate both technology and morality. The result is a film likely to appeal to both arthouse audiences and awards voters intrigued by its topical resonance.

Jay Kelly | Dir. Noah Baumbach

Noah Baumbach trades domestic squabbles for surreal chaos in Jay Kelly, starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler as estranged friends drawn into existential mayhem. Co-written with Greta Gerwig, the film blends absurdist comedy with Baumbach’s trademark neuroses.

Venice has embraced Baumbach before (Marriage Story), and Jay Kelly could mark his boldest experiment yet. With Clooney and Sandler playing against type, the film is primed to generate both critical attention and awards-season intrigue.

La Grazia | Dir. Paolo Sorrentino

Paolo Sorrentino opens Venice with La Grazia, a deeply personal tale starring Toni Servillo as a patriarch confronting mortality, memory, and grace. With Sorrentino’s signature lush compositions and baroque melancholy, the film promises to be one of the festival’s emotional touchstones.

As with The Great Beauty, La Grazia is expected to combine grand visual flourishes with intimate reflection, making it a likely Lion contender — and a defining work of Sorrentino’s career.

Marc by Sofia | Dir. Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola takes a surprising turn into documentary with Marc by Sofia, an intimate portrait of fashion designer Marc Jacobs. Blending vérité footage with Coppola’s dreamy aesthetic, the film traces Jacobs’ career, creative process, and reinvention.

Premiering at Venice positions Marc by Sofia as both a stylish curiosity and a cultural event — one that bridges fashion, film, and celebrity. Expect it to dominate conversation among cinephiles and the fashion press alike.

The Wizard of the Kremlin | Dir. Olivier Assayas

Olivier Assayas adapts Giuliano da Empoli’s bestseller with The Wizard of the Kremlin, a political thriller examining the machinery of modern Russian power. With chilling performances and a razor-sharp script, the film dives into propaganda, influence, and control.

Assayas, known for Carlos and Personal Shopper, thrives on stories about shifting identities and global anxieties. This could be one of Venice 82’s most urgent, topical titles.

A House of Dynamite | Dir. Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow makes her long-awaited return with A House of Dynamite, a war thriller steeped in explosive imagery and ethical dilemmas. Known for her immersive style (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty), Bigelow here explores the psychological fallout of soldiers and civilians alike.

Venice audiences have historically embraced her work, and with her first feature in over a decade, expectations are sky-high. This could easily become one of the festival’s hottest tickets.

No Other Choice | Dir. Park Chan-wook

Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave) delivers another intricately woven thriller with No Other Choice, a tale of betrayal and moral compromise. Known for his hypnotic visuals and emotional precision, Park situates love and revenge in a shifting landscape of loyalty.

Venice has long embraced Park as a master stylist, and early anticipation suggests No Other Choice could be among the most critically acclaimed films of the festival.

In the Hand of Dante | Dir. Julian Schnabel

Julian Schnabel adapts Nick Tosches’ novel in In the Hand of Dante, an ambitious two-strand narrative following a modern writer (Oscar Isaac) obsessed with an ancient manuscript. Blending history, art, and mysticism, the film captures Schnabel’s fascination with genius and obsession.

Shot across Italy with grand visual ambition, this is Schnabel’s most significant project in years — one that could return him to the critical spotlight.

POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP

The Voice of Hind Rajab | Dir. Kaouther Ben Hania

Following her Oscar-nominated Four Daughters, Kaouther Ben Hania turns to documentary-drama hybrid with The Voice of Hind Rajab, recounting the killing of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl by Israeli forces in 2024. Mixing testimony, dramatization, and haunting imagery, the film aims to give voice to the silenced.

Venice competition status ensures this will be a lightning rod for conversation, reflecting the festival’s commitment to politically urgent storytelling.

Il Mostro | Dir. Enrico Maria Artale

Italian filmmaker Enrico Maria Artale brings Il Mostro, a crime drama set on the fringes of society. With moody cinematography and raw performances, the film delves into violence, poverty, and fractured families.

For Venice, this represents the festival’s continued support of Italian auteurs balancing social realism with stylized flourishes.

Orphan | Dir. László Nemes

László Nemes (Son of Saul) returns with Orphan, a historical drama steeped in trauma and resilience. Shot with his signature shallow focus and immersive camerawork, the film follows a young boy navigating survival in a hostile, collapsing world.

Nemes’ return is one of the festival’s most significant auteur-driven premieres, poised to reignite debate about form, realism, and cinematic immersion.

Elisa | Dir. Leonardo Di Costanzo

Leonardo Di Costanzo (The Inner Cage) crafts an intimate drama with Elisa, exploring relationships strained by guilt, secrets, and unspoken truths. With piercing performances and tightly framed compositions, the film embodies Italian arthouse at its most precise.

Though quieter than the festival’s larger titles, Elisa may emerge as a critical favorite for its craftsmanship and restraint.

Venice 82 is more than a film festival — it’s the year’s first major bellwether for awards season and a proving ground for auteurs shaping cinema’s future. With a slate that ranges from Hollywood icons to international trailblazers, this edition is poised to spark debate, ignite careers, and deliver unforgettable cinematic moments. Whether it’s del Toro’s gothic spectacle, Lanthimos’ surreal satire, or Coppola’s dreamy documentary, these 20 films represent the beating heart of cinema in 2025.

Venice 82 arrives at a time when cinema feels both imperiled and invigorated. Streaming wars continue to reshape the industry, strikes have delayed productions, and political upheavals echo through festival lineups. And yet, the films premiering on the Lido remind us why Venice remains cinema’s most prestigious stage: its ability to balance glamour with gravity, spectacle with sincerity.

From del Toro’s gothic horror to Coppola’s documentary dream, from Bigelow’s war thriller to Park Chan-wook’s morally twisted romance, Venice 82 promises a lineup that will dominate conversations well into awards season. As the Golden Lion contenders unspool, one thing is certain: the world will be watching Venice — and the future of cinema may just be written here.