Overview

• George Clooney skipped the Jay Kelly press conference due to a very severe sinusitis, with festival organizers relaying that his team still expected him on the evening red carpet.
• Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly screened in competition with Clooney leading an ensemble including Adam Sandler, Laura Dern and Greta Gerwig, and is slated to stream on Netflix on December 5.
• Yorgos Lanthimos premiered Bugonia in competition with Emma Stone, a U.S. remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! centered on the abduction of a powerful CEO.
• Early reactions to Bugonia split sharply, with outlets ranging from high praise to harsh pans, while Stone drew attention for lighthearted remarks about believing in aliens and discussing shaving her head for the role.
• The day’s program also featured László Nemes’s Orphan in competition, Werner Herzog’s documentary Ghost Elephants tied to his career Golden Lion honor, and Italian titles in Orizzonti and Giornate degli Autori.