The Venice Film Festival, running from September 2 to 12, presented an extensive program under the direction of Alberto Barbera, notably lacking studio productions—a trend also visible at Cannes. The competition features work by renowned names such as Werner Herzog, Hirokazu Koreeda, Lee Chang-Dong, and Martin McDonagh, while Casey Affleck is also appearing in competition. The program spans multiple sections, with various big names returning to the festival held annually in Venice.