Venice sidebar to screen eleven world premieres; first screening of Ermanno Olmi doc.

Tastes rice flower

The Venice Film Festival’s (Aug 30 - 9) independently run Venice Days section will host 12 competition titles, 11 of which are world premieres, including new films from Kim Nguyen, Chloe Sevigny, Pengfei, and Sara Forestier.

War Witch director Nguyen will show drama Eye On Juliet, starring UK actor Joe Cole, while M marks the directorial debut of Standing Tall actress Forestier.

Pengfei, who was in Venice Days in 2015 with his first film, Underground Fragrance, is returning with followup The Taste of Rice Flower (pictured).

Screening in the special events category will be a never seen before and thought to be lost Ermanno Olmi documentary from the 1960s: Il Tentato Suicidio Nell Adolescenza (Attempted Suicide In Youths).

The documentary follows the pioneering work of the emergency psychiatric branch of the Policlinico di Milano.

Tentato

Meanwhile, new short films by Sevigny and US choreographer-director Celia Rowlson-Hall will screen in Venice Days’ Women’s Tales Project, sponsored by Miu Miu, the women’s fashion brand.

Iranian director Samira Makhmalbaf will preside of the 14th Venice Days jury, which will award a top prize of €20k. All first works in the strand are eligible for Venice’s Lion of the Future prize for best first work across all the Venice festival sections.

VENICE DAYS LINEUP

COMPETITION

Candelaria, Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza (Colombia, Germany, Norway, Argentina)

The Contagion, Matteo Botrugno, Daniele Coluccini (Italy)

Where Shadows Fall, Valentina Pedicini (Italy)

L’Equilibrio, Vincenzo Marra (Italy)

Eye on Juliet, Kim Nguyen (Canada)

Longing, Savi Gabizon (Israel)

Life Guidance, Ruth Mader (Austria)

Looking For Oum Kulthum, Shirin Neshat (Germany, Austria, Italy)

M, Sara Forestier (France)

Samui Song, Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Thailand, Germany, Norway)

The Taste of Rice Flower, Pengfei (China)

Volubilis, Faouzi Bensaidi (Morocco, France)

Volubilis

WOMEN’S TALES PROJECT (shorts)

Carmen, Chloe Sevigny (Italy, U.S.)

#14 (The [End of History Illusion], Celia Rowlson-Hall (Italy, U.S.)

SPECIAL EVENTS

Agnelli, Nick Hooker (U.S.)

Getting Naked: A Burlesque Story, James Lester (U.S.)

La Legge Del Numero Uno, Alessandro D’Alatri (Italy)

The Resolute, Giovanni Donfrancesco (Italy, France)

Thirst Street, Nathan Silver (U.S.)

Il Tentato Suicidio Nell Adolescenza, Ermanno Olmi (Italy)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

I’M (endless like the space), Anne-Riitta Ciccone (Italy)

The Millionairs, Claudio Santamaria (Italy)

Raccontare Venezia, Wilma Labate (Italy, France)

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