Venice Film Festival Concludes with Star-Studded Premieres and Anticipated Awards

The 81st Venice Film Festival, the world's oldest cinematic celebration founded in 1932, is drawing to a close on the picturesque Lido island in the Venetian Lagoon. This year's event, marking a return to form after last year's strike-affected gathering, has once again solidified its position as a crucial launchpad for awards season contenders.

As the festival concludes, all eyes are on the jury led by Isabelle Huppert, the acclaimed French actress with over 150 film credits to her name. The competition features 21 diverse titles, many of which have sparked intense debate among critics and audiences alike.

Among the high-profile contenders for the prestigious Golden Lion, the festival's top honor, are:

• "Joker: Folie à Deux" by Todd Phillips, featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga
• "Maria" by Pablo Larraín, starring Angela Jolie as Maria Callas
• "Babygirl," an erotic thriller with Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson
• "Queer" by Luca Guadagnino, featuring Daniel Craig
• "The Brutalist" by Brady Corbet, with Adrien Brody
• "The Room Next Door" by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton

The festival's main venue, the Palazzo del Cinema, built in the 1930s, has once again hosted a parade of A-list celebrities. Lady Gaga's Christian Dior gown and vintage Philip Treacy headpiece created a memorable red carpet moment, while Nicole Kidman's Schiaparelli dress and Angelina Jolie's fur stole also drew attention.

Venice's influence on the awards season has grown significantly over the past decade. Since 2014, the festival has premiered four Best Picture Oscar winners and 19 nominees. This trend has solidified Venice's position as part of the "Big Three" European film festivals, alongside Cannes and Berlin.

The festival concludes with the world premiere of Kevin Costner's "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2." This follows the underwhelming box office performance of the first installment earlier this summer, leading to a delay in the sequel's original August release.

As the curtain falls on this year's event, the Venice Film Festival continues to demonstrate its ability to launch careers, spark debates, and set the tone for the upcoming awards season. From its inception in 1932 to its embrace of streaming platforms in recent years, Venice remains at the forefront of cinematic celebration and innovation.

"The Venice Film Festival is not just about awards, it's about celebrating the art of cinema and its power to move, challenge, and inspire us."