In total, 23 films will be in the running for the prestigious Golden Lion for best film at this Mostra, which is intended to be "a window open to the world", underlined during his online presentation the artistic director Alberto Barbera, denouncing in particular the detention of three filmmakers in Iran.

One of them, Jafar Panahi, who must serve a six-year sentence for "propaganda against the regime", will also be in competition with "Kherst Nist" ("The bears do not exist").

France is particularly well represented this year with no less than five films in competition: "The children of others" by Rebecca Zlotowski with Virginie Efira, "A couple" by Frederick Wiseman, "Miens", a family portrait by Roschdy Zem , "Athena" by Romain Gavras on a revolt in the suburbs, and "Saint Omer" by Alice Diop, a first film on infanticide.

French filmmaker-writer Florian Zeller has offered himself Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern and Anthony Hopkins for "The Son", his new theatrical text on father-son relationships.

Actress Cate Blanchett at the Venice Film Festival, September 12, 2020 Tiziana FABI AFP / Archives

The stars will not be lacking this year on the red carpet of the Lido facing the sea: the Spanish star Penelope Cruz is the protagonist of an Italian film, "The immensity" by Emanuele Crialese, while the Australian Cate Blanchett embodies a conductor in "TAR" by Todd Field.

This festival will also mark the return of Darren Aronofsky with "The whale" ("The whale"), taken from a play and with Brendan Fraser as headliner.

Another big name: the Mexican Alejandro Inarritu, with a "very personal" film according to Barbera: "Bardo, the false chronicle of some truths".

Highly anticipated, "Bones and all", by the Italian Luca Guadagnino, features a Hollywood cast, from Timothée Chalamet to Chloë Sevigny.

Briton Tilda Swinton will be in the credits of "The eternal daughter" by Joanna Hogg, while Colin Farrell will be the protagonist of "The banshees of Inisherin" by Martin McDonagh.

British actress Tilda Swinton at the Venice Film Festival, September 2, 2020 Tiziana FABI AFP / Archives

Andrew Dominik's "Blonde," a Marilyn Monroe-inspired film starring Ana de Armas in the title role and Adrien Brody, is set to turn heads.

The militant action of the artist photographer Nan Goldin will be at the center of "All the beauty and the bloodshed" by Laura Poitras, on the scandal of opiate drugs in the United States.

Finally, it is to "White noise" by Noah Baumbach, with Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, that will return the honor of opening the Venetian competition.

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