Here Is The Asian Film Lineup for the 81st Venice Film Festival
On July 23, La Biennale di Venezia announced the complete lineup for this year’s 81st Venice Film Festival, scheduled to take place from August 28 to September 7. This year, the festival’s official main competition, Venezia 81, features director Siew Hua Yeo’s thriller Stranger Eyes (2024) as the sole Asian film in contention. It marks a historic moment as the first Singaporean film to be nominated for the Golden Lion, the festival’s most prestigious award.
Despite this, the screening list boasts a significant Asian presence, showcasing numerous films from various Asian countries across different genres. Notably, Kiyoshi Kurosawa returns with the suspense thriller Clouds (2024), set to premiere at the festival, four years after winning the Silver Lion for Best Director at Venice in 2020 with Wife of A Spy (2020). Lav Diaz, who previously won the Venice Golden Lion, is representing Philippine cinema again this year with his short, Phantosmia (2024). Explore the diverse selection of Asian films that will show at the upcoming 81st Venice Film Festival below.
Stranger Eyes (2024)
- Competing in: Venezia 81
- Director: Siew Hua Yeo
- Cast: Chien-Ho Wu, Kang-Sheng Lee, Anicca Panna, Vera Chen, Pete Teo, Xenia Tan, Maryanne Ng-Yew
- Country: Singapore, Taipei, France, USA
After 80 editions of the festival, a Singaporean film has finally been chosen to compete. Siew Hua Yeo, who won Locarno’s Golden Leopard in 2018 with A Land Imagined, returns with a voyeuristic thriller featuring Taiwanese actors Lee Kang-sheng and Wu Chien-Ho. Stranger Eyes centers on a young father who, after his baby daughter goes missing, starts receiving footage of his private life and sets out to find the mysterious voyeur.
Hemme nin öldüğü günlerden biri (One of Those Days When Hemme Dies) (2024)
- Competing in: Orizzonti
- Director: Murat Fıratoğlu
- Cast: Salih Taşçı, Murat Fıratoğlu, Sefer Fıratoğlu, Güneş Sayın, Ali Barkın Birkan, Fırat Bozan, Çetin Fıratoğlu
- Country: Turkey
Eyüp, a struggling city boy laboring under the hot sun, becomes frustrated when he doesn’t receive his daily wage and decides to kill Hemme. However, his plans are continually interrupted by the everyday trivialities of the townspeople, leading both men to join a wedding. Director Murat Fıratoğlu illustrates how human behavior loses its dramatic, tragic, and comical aspects amidst ordinary life events, culminating in a collective experience.
Happyend (2024)
- Competing in: Orizzonti
- Director: Neo Sora
- Cast: Hayato Kurihara, HIDAKA, Yuta Hayashi, Shina Peng, Arazi, Kilala Inori, PUSHIM, Ayumu Nakajima, Makiko Watanabe
- Country: Japan, USA
Happyend follows two rebellious high school friends on the brink of graduation, under the looming threat of a catastrophic earthquake in a near-future Tokyo. Their prank on the principal results in the installation of a surveillance system at their school. Faced with oppressive security and a worsening political climate, the friends respond in very different ways. The film is Neo Sora’s debut feature in fiction, following his previous work on Ryuichi Sakamoto/Opus (2023).
Neredeyse kesinlikle yanlış (Almost Certainly False) (2024)
- Competing in: Orizzonti (Shorts)
- Director: Cansu Baydar
- Cast: Rahaf Armanazi, İsa Karataş, Ferhat Akgün, Büşra Albayrak, Ubey Gül
- Country: Turkey
Protagonist Hana works at a nail design salon in Dolapdere and aspires to specialize in nail art with the goal of moving to Germany. However, she finds herself conflicted between pursuing her own goals and meeting the needs of her younger brother, Nader. Baydar’s work explores themes of belonging and freedom, highlighting the subtle yet significant impact of war on young people’s lives, and invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences and emotions.
Dúyào māo (The Poison Cat) (2024)
- Competing in: Orizzonti (Shorts)
- Director: Tian Guan
- Cast: Liguo Yuan, Yanxi Li
- Country: China
This fantasy-thriller centers on a terrifying evil spirit that haunts a small village. A woman attempts to flee from the menacing presence but is unsuccessful. As the story unfolds, she uncovers the hidden connection between the malevolent force and the village’s children.
Nime baz, nime basteh (Ajar) (2024)
- Competing in: Orizzonti (Shorts)
- Director: Atefeh Jalali
- Cast: Ebrahim Azizi, Masoomeh Iranshahi
- Country: Iran
In a seemingly ordinary household, a web of secrets and silent tensions begins to unravel. The story centers around three characters: Shirin, her husband, and a mysterious woman named Samira. The narrative unfolds as a series of ambiguous conversations and enigmatic interactions, blurring the lines between truth and deception.…
Al bahs an manfaz i khoroug al sayed Rambo (Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo) (2024)
- Orizzonti Extra
- Director: Khaled Mansour
- Cast: Essam Omar, Rakeen Saad, Ahmed Bahaa, Sama Ibrahim
- Country: Egypt, Saudi Arabia
Set in Cairo, the film portrays a narrative of everyday abuse and the quest for revenge, blending elements of melody and comedy with sharp social satire. It explores the interplay between humor and serious themes, offering a nuanced critique of societal issues through its engaging approach.
Phantosmia (2024)
- Out of Competition
- Director: Lav Diaz
- Cast: Ronnie Lazaro, Janine Gutierrez, Paul Jake Paule, Hazel Orencio
- Country: Philippines
The black and white film follows actor Ronnie Lazaro’s character Hilarion Zabala, a former military official who is plagued by a recurring olfactory issue suspected to be phantosmia. A counselor believes the phantom smell stems from a deep psychological wound and recommends that Hilarion confront the darkest aspects of his past. Assigned to the remote Pulo Penal Colony, Hilarion must also face the grim realities of his current predicament.
Broken Rage (2024)
- Out of Competition
- Director: Takeshi Kitano
- Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ômori
- Country: Japan
Takeshi Kitano, a two-time award winner at the Venice Film Festival for his films Hana-bi (1997) and Zatōichi (2003), is making a surprising return to the screen. He is set to direct and star in a new 60-minute drama titled Broken Rage. This unexpected project marks his first major work in years, generating excitement among fans and critics alike.
Cloud (2024)
- Out of Competition
- Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- Cast: Masaki Suda, Kotone Furukawa, Masataka Kubota
- Country: Japan
Kiyoshi Kurosawa has several projects coming up this year, including Chime and a French remake of Serpent’s Path, but he will also debut Cloud at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. The film stars Masaki Suda as Yoshii, a young man who, through his petty schemes to gain an edge, unwittingly provokes those around him and is eventually thrust into a life-threatening conflict.
As the world turns its eyes to the 81st Venice Film Festival, the diverse and rich lineup promises to shine a spotlight on the dynamic and ever-evolving Asian cinema landscape.
Read about more Asian creatives making an impact in the entertainment industry with EnVi’s review of South Korean actress Chun Woo-hee‘s career here!
