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70th Venice films take bleak view of world today

Friday - 7/26/2013, 3:10am  ET

Venice Biennale president Paolo Baratta arrives for the Venice Film Festival's press conference, in Rome, Thursday, July 25, 2013. The 70th edition of the festival will run from the August 28 to Sept 7. The techno-thriller "Gravity" starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts stranded in outer space will open the 70th Venice Film Festival. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Associated Press



"Perhaps one of the strongest themes that emerges from all the films is the lack of prospects. There's an acknowledgment of an extremely problematic situation, in some cases tragic," Barbera told a news conference.



Golden Lion contenders include Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem," starring Christoph Waltz as a reclusive computer genius, and Peter Landesman's "Parkland," which examines the chaotic events at Dallas' Parkland hospital the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Indie director Kelly Reichardt returns to Venice with "Night Moves," starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard as environmental activists plotting to blow up a dam.

Johansson appears in Jonathan Glazer's highly anticipated science fiction thriller "Under the Skin," while Dench stars in Stephen Frears' "Philomena."

Director Alfonso Cuaron's techno-thriller "Gravity," starring Clooney and Bullock, will open the festival and is among 17 films showing out of competition. Thierry Ragobert's documentary "Amazonia" closes the event on Sept. 7.


"Venice on paper takes more risks -- for example, taking two documentaries in competition, a first by any festival, and organizing an auteur cinema to support and promote these films," said Barbera.

Barbera, who is in the second year of a new mandate after directing the festival from 1998-2002, is intent on securing the festival's role as a launch pad for new films. Venice has premiered such films as the "The Hurt Locker," which went on to win an Academy Award for best film, and the highly acclaimed "Black Swan."




Three previous Golden Lion winners are returning to the Lido. They include Italy's Gianni Amelio with "L'intrepido," or "The Intrepid," and Taiwan-based director Tsai Ming-liang with "Stray Dogs," both in competition. Last year's winner, Kim Ki-duk, premieres "Moebius," his follow-up to "Pieta" that has generated controversy at home in South Korea for its graphic content.


Barry reported from Milan.
