Last Year's Highlights The festival was a hot topic with Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling”, Chalamet's insights, and Fraser’s Oscar win

Celebrity Strikes Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild strikes could hinder the festival's celebrity attendance.

MGM's "Challengers" Delay Due to the strikes, MGM delays Zendaya-led “Challengers”. A lesser-known Italian film fills the spot.

Other Festivals Gain Some films destined for Venice have turned to Telluride Film Festival, which has less press focus.

Auteur-heavy Lineup Despite the setbacks, big names like Fincher and Linklater grace the festival's list.

Pandemic Resilience Venice showed resilience in 2020, premiering “Nomadland”, the Oscar-winning best picture, despite pandemic limitations.

Movies To Watch Fincher’s “The Killer”, Linklater’s “Hit Man”, and Lanthimos' comedy “Poor Things” featuring Emma Stone.

Cooper's ControversyBradley Cooper dons a prosthetic nose in “Maestro”, sparking debates.

Coppola's Take on ElvisSofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” delves into the life of Elvis Presley's wife, featuring Spaeny and Elordi.

DuVernay's "Origin"Ava DuVernay’s film adaptation of “Caste” delves into racism and systemic oppression.

Will Driver Promote?Adam Driver's media stance for “Ferrari” remains a mystery.

Directors Returning Korine with “Aggro Dr1ft” and Larraín's “El Conde” showcasing unique cinematography and themes.

Venice proves that even with challenges, the magic of cinema lives on. Will it go viral? Only time will tell.