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4h ago

Sorrentino’s La Grazia Opens Venice With Austerity, Drawing Mixed Early Reviews

Sorrentino uses a fictional president’s final months to rekindle Italy’s euthanasia debate.

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Cast members Anna Ferzetti and Toni Servillo pose during a photocall for the movie "La Grazia", in competition, on the opening day of the 82nd Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, August 27, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
Director Paolo Sorrentino and cast members Anna Ferzetti and Toni Servillo pose during a photocall for the movie "La Grazia", in competition, on the opening day of the 82nd Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, August 27, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
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Overview

  • The film opened the 82nd Venice Film Festival in competition for the Golden Lion.
  • Toni Servillo plays President Mariano De Santis, who weighs an end-of-life bill and two clemency requests, with Anna Ferzetti as his lawyer daughter.
  • Sorrentino said he was prompted by President Sergio Mattarella’s 2019 clemency decision and hopes the movie renews attention to assisted dying in Italy.
  • Early notices praised Servillo’s performance and Sorrentino’s visuals but questioned the narrative resolution and handling of the ethical dilemmas.
  • Mubi holds worldwide rights outside Italy, with production by Fremantle, The Apartment, Numero 10 and PiperFilm, and international sales via The Match Factory.