Eye For Film >> News >> Venice opener announced

Venice opener announced

Guiseppe Tornatore's Baavia to headline.

by Jennie Kermode

This year's Venice Film Festival, set to run between the 2nd and 12th of September, will open with Guiseppe Tornatore's new film Baavia, the organisers have announced.

Set in the Sicilian village of Bagheria (known as Baavia to its occupants), this autobiographical film, epic in scope, stars Francesco Scianna and Margaret Madè, with support from Monica Bellucci. It was made on a budget of around £20M, making it the most expensive Italian film for years, and its producers have high hopes of winning this year's Golden Lion award.

Tornatore is best known in the UK as the writer-director of heartwarming fable Cinema Paradiso, which won an Oscar in 1990. He has previously served on the Venice Film Festival jury.

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