Venice Film Festival Line Up Announced

The Venice film festival which launches in late August has announced its official line up for 2019. Brad Pitt’s space drama Ad Astra and Robert Pattinson’s Shakespearean drama The King are among those set for world premieres.

Meryl Steep and Gary Oldman’s Steven Sodenberg drama The Laundromat is also included in this year’s line-up.

In a controversial move director Roman Polanski, currently locked in a legal battle over his recent expulsion from the American Academy, will screen his latest film An Officer and a Spy at the festival.

Marriage story featuring Scarlett Johansson and Adam driver also features this year as does Joaquin Phoenix much anticipated comic book movie Joker.

Overall the line-up is considered to potentially have fewer Oscar front runner compared to last year’s selection which launched The Favourite, First Man and A Star Is Born with world premieres.

TIFF 2019 Announces First Line Up Details

The Toronto International Film Festival announced its first wave of movies set to be included in this year’s line-up.

Renee Zellweger’s Judy Garland Biopic and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker origin story are among the prominent Oscar hopefuls included in this year’s typically sensational collection of films.

Other films in the initial line up include Taika Waititi’s black comedy Jojo Rabbit starring Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks Mr Rodgers biopic A Beautiful day In The Neighbourhood.

Just Mercy, Le Mans ’66, The Goldfinch, The Two Popes, Bad Education, Marriage Sotry, Uncut Gems, The personal History of David Copperfield and Meryl Streep drama The Laundromat also get high profile premiere’s at this year’s festival attracting awards buzz of their own.

Significantly this year more than half the gala presentations are director or co-directed by women. A landmark achievement proudly acknowledged by the festival’s artistic director Cameron Bailey.

This year’s TIFF festival runs from 5-15 September.