HOLLYWOOD—Venice is not only romantic but also a city full of rich history and culture in northeastern Italy. It’s famous for its beautiful canals, stunning St. Mark’s Square, and breathtaking architecture. It’s also the home to the 81st annual Venice International Film Festival that is on from August 28 to September 7, 2024, in Venice, Italy.
The festival will open with Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and close with Pupi Avati’s “The American Backyard.” Isabelle Huppert, French actress will serve as Jury President for the main competition, and Italian actress and model Sveva Alviti will host the opening and closing ceremonies. Australian filmmaker Peter Weir and American actress Sigourney Weaver will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the festival, according to published reports.
Celebrities attending the 2024 Festival include Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, Taylor Russell, Cate Blanchett, Monica Bellucci, Brad Pitt, Sigourney Weaver and Angelina Jolie. These stars have been spotted on the red carpet, premieres, and other events, showcasing their fashion sense and supporting their upcoming projects. The lineup includes world premieres of Todd Phillips’ Joaquin Phoenix-Lady Gaga pic “Joker: Folie a Deux,” Pedro Almodovar’s “The Room Next Door,” Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” Pablo Larrain’s Maria Callas biopic “Maria” starring Angelina Jolie and new works from the likes of Alfonso Cuaron, Walter Salles, Takeski Kiatno and others.
Angelina Jolie, 49, stars in “Maria,” and was at the film festival on the first day, and she was adamant about leaving right after the festival. Maria is screening as part of the competition lineup at Venice; Jolie stars as 20th-century opera singer Maria Callas. Netflix acquired the rights to distribute the film. We are guessing she didn’t want to meet up with ex, Brad Pitt, who was scheduled to arrive on Saturday.
Pitt was recently seen spending time in Italy with his Wolfs costar and longtime friend George Clooney, 63. The duo were also at Chateau Miraval, the sprawling villa property in Correns, France, that remains at the center of an ongoing legal battle with Jolie. Clooney and Pitt are expected to arrive at the film festival early on September 1; they are expected to take part in a press conference for Wolfs before the movie’s world premiere. Pitt and Clooney’s Apple Original film, “Wolfs,” will screen out of competition; the movie follows the pair as lone-wolf fixers who are assigned the same job.
Jolie is also expected to appear at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival to debut her new movie as a director, “Without Blood.” The festival is also honoring her with its Impact Award. “Without Blood” marks Jolie’s first project as a director since 2017. Angelina Jolie has sparked rumors, this time with whispers of a British rapper and political activist Akala.
The two were spotted leaving a hotel together in Venice, Italy, adding fuel to the speculation of their possible relationship. The 49-year-old Hollywood star has reportedly been seeing the 40-year-old journalist and author for over a year, according to published reports. Akala, whose real name is Kingslee James Mclean Daley, first gained fame as a rapper before transitioning into political activism. Akala, is the younger brother of the acclaimed singer and rapper Ms. Dynamite, known for her string of hits in the early 2000s, including her debut album, “A Little Deeper,” which won the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. The “Maleficent” star has also been linked to Broadway composer Justin Levine.
Meanwhile, Brad Pitt and his girlfriend Ines de Ramon coordinate in white as they arrive in Italy. The couple are supposedly in a “serious relationship” and have been dating for over a year. They are living together, according to published reports. While Pitt and Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, their divorce proceedings are still ongoing. The actors share six children; Maddox, 23, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16.
Rose’s Scoop: Rapper Fatman Scoop died at the age of 53 after collapsing at his concert at the Town Center Park in the city of Hamden. Scoop was a beloved figure in the music world.
