The Venice Film Festival, known for its high-end market, has taken a more low-key approach this year. Sellers are still seeing the festival as a prime launchpad for prestige projects and art house titles, with critical heat to position their films in a crowded marketplace.
Several films have generated buzz among buyers, including “100 Nights of Hero” directed by Julia Jackman and starring Nicholas Galitzine and Charli XCX, which reimagines a feminist fairy tale; “Below the Clouds” by Gianfranco Rosi, an intimate homage to Naples; and “Dead Man’s Wire” by Gus Van Sant, dramatizing the 1977 hostage crisis in Indianapolis.
Other standout titles include Shahad Ameen’s ambitious desert-set drama “Hijra,” which explores Saudi society and feminist undercurrents, and Julian Schnabel’s art film “In the Hand of Dante,” an adaptation of Nick Tosches’ novel about a handwritten manuscript of The Divine Comedy.
The festival also features “Lost Land” by Akio Fujimoto, an international co-production exploring migration, displacement, and identity, as well as Potsy Ponciroli’s gritty period action film “Motor City.”
Critical acclaim has been garnered by films like Lucrecia Martel’s documentary “Nuestra Tierra (Landmarks),” which examines the murder of indigenous leader Javier Chocobar; Mark Jenkin’s sci-fi drama “Rose of Nevada,” centered on a pair of fisherman transported back in time; and Anders Thomas Jensen’s dark comedy genre-tinged tale “The Last Viking.”
Lastly, “The Testament of Ann Lee” by Mona Fastvold casts Amanda Seyfried as 18th century founder Ann Lee, while “The Voice of Hind Rajab” by Kaouther Ben Hania dramatizes the true story of 5-year-old Hind Rajab.
With its diverse lineup, Venice 2025 has the potential to be a critical and commercial success for sellers looking to make noise in the market.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/venice-film-festival-2025-hot-sales-titles-1236353825