Overview

• Venice 82 opened on August 27 with the world premiere of La grazia in competition, with Paolo Sorrentino, Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti on the Lido red carpet.
• The film follows an imagined President confronting clemency and end-of-life dilemmas; Sorrentino acknowledged inspiration from a real Mattarella pardon case but stressed the character is not Mattarella.
• Alexander Payne leads the main Competition jury and Julia Ducournau heads Orizzonti as the festival’s consolidated sections get underway.
• Emanuela Fanelli hosted the opening ceremony, and Werner Herzog received the career Golden Lion with Francis Ford Coppola delivering the laudation.
• The Biennale’s sustainability and industry programs are active, including the electric lagoon taxi Lucietta, Venice Immersive and Final Cut in Venice, while La grazia is slated for Italian release on January 15, 2026 via PiperFilm.