La Biennale di Venezia (or the Venice Film Festival) is pleased to announce that “La Grazia,” written and directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino (“The Hand of God,” “The Great Beauty” & “Il divo”), and starring Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti, is the opening film, in a world premiere in Competition, of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival directed by Alberto Barbera, running from August 27th until September 6th.
“La Grazia” will have its world premiere screening on Wednesday, August 27th, 2025, in Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema (Lido di Venezia) on the opening night of the Biennale Cinema 2025.
“I am very happy that the 82nd Venice International Film Festival will open with the new and highly anticipated film by Paolo Sorrentino,” stated Alberto Barbera. “I like to recall that one of the most important and internationally acclaimed Italian auteurs made his debut right here at the Biennale di Venezia in 2001 with his first film, One Man Up, in my early years as the Artistic Director.”
The relationship with the Venice Film Festival became consolidated over the years with the presentation out of competition of the first episodes in the series ‘The Young Pope’ (seasons one and two) and, above all, with ‘The Hand of God,’ which, in 2021, won the Silver Lion-Grand Jury Prize. Paolo Sorrentino’s return in competition comes with a film destined to leave its mark for its great originality and powerful relevance to the present time, which the audiences of the Venice Film Festival will have the pleasure of discovering on opening night.”
“La Grazia,” written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, is a Fremantle film produced by The Apartment, a Fremantle Company, by Numero 10, and by PiperFilm, which will be distributed in Italy.
MUBI owns worldwide rights, excluding Italy. The Match Factory is handling international sales.
The 82nd edition of the Venice Film Festival will run from August 27th to September 6th, with Cody Dericks and Josh Parham attending in person.
Are you excited for the 2025 Venice Film Festival? Are you looking forward to “La Grazia?” Please let us know in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
