Venice Film Festival | Little White Lies

Venice Film Festival

An elderly man wearing a grey suit stands between two younger men in white coats, with other people visible in the background of a hospital setting.
Festivals

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar – first-look review

by Hannah Strong

Wes Anderson adapts his second Roald Dahl story, this time into a rather delightful short with some beautifully rendered theatrical set pieces.
Two men in a theatre auditorium, one wearing a leather jacket and the other an older man in the foreground.
Festivals

Ferrari – first-look review

by Hannah Strong

Michael Mann’s long-awaited Enzo Ferrari biopic is a disappointingly conventional and surprisingly rough portrait of an automotive icon.
Man in fur-lined coat and naval cap, black and white image.
Festivals

El Conde – first-look review

by Hannah Strong

Pablo Larraín imagines Augusto Pinochet as an aged vampire craving death in his gothic satire, which marks his first foray into horror.
Two men visible in rear-view mirror of car interior.
Festivals

No Bears – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

Jafar Panahi plays himself in this lovingly-crafted autofiction that centers on two pairs of lovers.
A person lying on a dark surface, eyes closed, with a blue cloth covering them.
Festivals

The Listener – first-look review

by Hannah Strong

Tessa Thompson plays a helpline volunteer on her final shift in Steve Buscemi’s sensitive drama.
Woman with curled blonde hair wearing a black top and white trousers, seated on a red sofa with bookshelves in the background.
Festivals

Blonde – first-look review

by Leila Latif

Andrew Dominik’s adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates’ behemoth Marilyn Monroe novel is a surreal, anarchic take on celebrity and womanhood.
A bearded man in a dark t-shirt pointing a handgun in a dimly lit setting.
Festivals

Beyond the Wall – first-look review

by Anahit Behrooz

Vahid Jalilvand crafts an intimate puzzle box of a film, regarding the lives of two strangers that intersect in a fascinating and tragic manner.
A woman wearing a white hijab and looking directly at the camera.
Festivals

The Matchmaker – first-look review

by Anahit Behrooz

Benedetta Argenteri’s documentary about Tooba Gondal fails to get to the systematic causes of radicalisation, instead opting for shoddy personal blame.
A pensive man with a serious expression, wearing a black jumper, in a dimly lit setting.
Festivals

The Son – first-look review

by Hannah Strong

Despite boasting some big names, Florian Zeller’s follow-up to The Father is a missed opportunity to tackle the weighty subject of teen depression.
Diverse group seated in a church; Black woman in foreground wearing yellow blouse.
Festivals

Saint Omer – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

This deeply nuanced treatise on the tragedy of motherhood marks the extraordinary feature debut of Alice Diop.