Film festivals‘ opening nights are springboards for Oscar contenders.
The 79th annual Venice festivities, the oldest festival of all, will run from 8/31 – 9/10, which is great timing to put movies into the early awards conversation. Netflix’s world premiere of its drama WHITE NOISE will kick things off loudly on the Lido. Written (based on Don De Lillo’s book), directed & co-produced by Noah Baumbach (THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU), it stars Adam Driver & Greta Gerwig.
The driver was a lead actor Oscar nominee in 2020 for Baumbach’s MARRIAGE STORY (pictured), which premiered in Venice in 2019 & got the best picture nom. The driver also got a supporting actor nod in 2019 for BLACKKKLANSMAN.
Gerwig’s a 3 time Oscar nominee — for original screenplay & directing for LADY BIRD in 2018 & for adapted screenplay for LITTLE WOMEN in 2020.
Baumbach also has 3 Oscar noms — for original screenplay & best picture for MARRIAGE STORY in 2020 & for original screenplay for THE SQUID AND THE WHALE in 2006.
NOISE’s out-of-competition screening at Palazzo del Cinema will put it in the global media spotlight and should get a best-picture buzz going. It’s Netflix’s first festival opener. Netflix hasn’t said yet when it will start streaming or if it will have a theatrical run beyond the Academy’s qualifying rules.