The 83rd Venice Film Festival opens September 2 on the Lido with Hollywood names including George Clooney, Robert Pattinson and Penélope Cruz expected in attendance. The lineup includes Danny Boyle’s Ink, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine and other films entering the festival season with early awards attention.
Key Takeaways
- The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs September 2–12, 2026.
- George Clooney and Ellen Burstyn are receiving Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement.
- Robert Pattinson and Penélope Cruz are among the major stars expected at the Lido.
- Danny Boyle’s Ink has its world premiere as the opening-night film.
- Films including Wild Horse Nine, Primetime and Bunker are among the titles drawing early Oscar attention.
Venice Film Festival 2026 Opens With Major Hollywood Names
The Venice Film Festival 2026 is bringing a major group of American and international film stars to the Lido for its 83rd edition. The festival is scheduled to run from September 2 through September 12, with 21 films competing for the Golden Lion and a wider selection screening outside the main competition.
George Clooney is among the central figures at this year’s festival. He is receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, an honor that will be presented during the opening ceremony. Ellen Burstyn is also receiving the same lifetime achievement award during the festival.
Robert Pattinson and Penélope Cruz are among the other high-profile actors expected to attend. Pattinson is connected to Primetime, while Cruz appears in Florian Zeller’s Bunker alongside Javier Bardem.
Maggie Gyllenhaal is serving as president of the main competition jury. Her jury will assess the films competing for the festival’s top prize during the September 2–12 schedule.
The festival’s official schedule places the opening screenings on September 2, including the world premiere of Ink in the Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido.
The Venice lineup arrives during the period when attention begins turning toward major film awards. Earlier this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its 2026 membership class, adding hundreds of artists and executives to the organization behind the Oscars.Â
Danny Boyle’s Ink Leads the Opening-Night Lineup
Danny Boyle’s Ink is the opening film and will have its world premiere in competition on September 2. The film is directed by Boyle from a screenplay by James Graham and stars Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce and Claire Foy.
The film is set in 1969 and centers on the creation of a newspaper by Rupert Murdoch and Larry Lamb. The official festival description identifies the project as a story about a group of people who sought to create a new type of news publication.
Ink has a 116-minute running time and is a United Kingdom, France and United States production. Its opening-night screening is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Sala Grande.
The opening placement gives the film the first major screening position of the festival’s 2026 edition. It also places Boyle’s latest feature directly within the first wave of Venice premieres being followed by audiences and the film industry.
The competition lineup includes films from established directors alongside new work from filmmakers working across several countries. Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine is among the competition titles, while Florian Zeller’s Bunker and Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime are also among films receiving attention around the festival.
The Venice selection also includes work from directors such as Werner Herzog and Hirokazu Kore-eda. The combination of established filmmakers, new releases and recognizable actors gives the competition an international lineup.
Other festival coverage has also examined the role film festivals can play in bringing independent productions to awards audiences, including a previous report on a multi-festival film selection.
George Clooney and Ellen Burstyn Receive Lifetime Honors
Clooney and Burstyn are receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the 2026 festival. The awards recognize their careers in film and are separate from the Golden Lion awarded to a film in the main competition.
Clooney’s award will be presented during the opening ceremony on September 2. Actress Laura Dern is scheduled to deliver the address honoring him during the ceremony.
Burstyn’s Golden Lion recognizes a career that includes films such as The Exorcist, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Interstellar. She is also participating in a festival masterclass scheduled for September 8 at the Match Point Arena on the Lido.
Clooney is scheduled to participate in his own masterclass on September 3. The session is part of the festival’s series of masterclasses featuring directors and performers and is scheduled to be available through a livestream on the Biennale website.
The festival’s other masterclasses include sessions with Luc Besson, Luca Guadagnino, Chloé Zhao and cinematographer Lukasz Zal. These events run between September 3 and September 9 at the Match Point Arena.
Clooney and Burstyn therefore have roles at the festival beyond their lifetime achievement honors, with both scheduled to participate in public discussions about their film careers.
Robert Pattinson and Penélope Cruz Lead the Star Lineup
Pattinson and Cruz are among the actors connecting the competition lineup to the festival’s broader celebrity presence. Pattinson stars in Primetime, while Cruz appears in Bunker with Bardem.
Primetime is directed by Lance Oppenheim and is one of the films being watched as Venice begins its awards-season schedule. Bunker, directed by Zeller, also joins the competition lineup with Cruz and Bardem in leading roles.
The festival’s out-of-competition selection adds more recognizable names to the schedule. Place to Be, directed by Kornél Mundruczó, stars Burstyn alongside Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson, Murray Bartlett and David Wenham.
Other out-of-competition films include Father Joe, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ever Anderson and Al Pacino, and The Basics of Philosophy, directed by Paul Schrader and featuring Jack Huston, Sofia Boutella, Bill Pullman and Dana Delany.
The combination of competition films and out-of-competition screenings gives the festival multiple opportunities for major actors and directors to appear on the Lido during the 11-day event.
The lineup also extends beyond traditional Hollywood releases. The festival includes international productions and documentaries alongside the English-language films, maintaining the event’s focus on cinema from multiple countries.
Recent EMonthlyNews coverage has also followed major film casting announcements, including a report on a musician making a feature-film acting debut alongside established Hollywood performers.
Venice Films Enter the Early Oscar Conversation
Venice is closely watched during the opening stage of the film awards calendar because several films and performances that premiere there can become part of the wider Oscar discussion. The 2026 competition includes multiple directors and films already receiving attention ahead of the festival’s first screenings.
Among the titles drawing that attention are Wild Horse Nine, Primetime and Bunker. Their Venice screenings will give audiences an early opportunity to assess the films before the fall awards calendar develops further.
The festival’s 21-film competition will determine the Golden Lion winner, with the main jury led by Gyllenhaal. The awards will be announced at the close of the festival on September 12.
The official schedule also places Ink at the center of the opening night. Boyle’s film will premiere in competition before continuing with additional festival screenings on September 3.
Venice’s 2026 lineup includes films from directors working in the United States, Europe and Asia, with the competition combining established filmmakers and newer projects. The festival will continue with screenings, awards activities and public sessions through September 12.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Venice Film Festival 2026 begin?
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival begins September 2, 2026, on the Lido di Venezia. The festival runs through September 12.
Who are the major stars attending the Venice Film Festival?
George Clooney, Robert Pattinson and Penélope Cruz are among the major stars expected at the festival. Ellen Burstyn is also participating in the event and will receive a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
Which film opens the 2026 Venice Film Festival?
Danny Boyle’s Ink opens the festival. The film, starring Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce and Claire Foy, will have its world premiere in competition on September 2.
Which Venice Film Festival movies are drawing Oscar attention?
Wild Horse Nine, Primetime, Bunker and Ink are among the 2026 titles receiving early awards-season attention. The festival’s competition provides an early opportunity for these films to enter the broader awards conversation.
When will the 2026 Venice Film Festival awards be announced?
The festival runs through September 12, when its awards are scheduled to be announced. The main competition jury is led by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
