Roberts and Clooney shine at Venice

The Venice Film Festival opens this week with Hollywood icons Julia Roberts and George Clooney headlining a star-studded lineup on the city's famed Lido.

Now in its 82nd edition, the festival begins Wednesday, welcoming actors, directors, and fans arriving by water taxi for one of cinema's most glamorous gatherings. 

Alongside blockbuster premieres, the program highlights politically charged works, including Olivier Assayas's The Wizard of the Kremlin, with Jude Law as Vladimir Putin, and Kaouther Ben Hania's The Voice of Hind Rajab, which uses real audio of a Palestinian child's final plea during the Gaza war.

Roberts makes her long-awaited Venice debut Friday in Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt, a drama tackling a sexual assault case at a US university, screened out of competition. Clooney, who charmed audiences on the red carpet last year, returns in Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly for Netflix, portraying an actor grappling with an identity crisis. Adam Sandler co-stars as his manager.

With past winners like Nomadland and Joker leaping from Venice to Oscar success, the festival remains a launchpad for global recognition. Two-time Oscar winner Alexander Payne leads the jury, tasked with selecting the Golden Lion winner on 6 September.