Hollywood strike forces Venice fest to switch opening film
Italian director Edoardo De Angelis poses during the photocall of the movie “Perez” presented out of competition at the 71st Venice Film Festival on Sept. 5, 2014, at Venice Lido. De Angelis’ “Comandante” will now open the 80th Venice International Film Festival, in place of Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” the festival said in a statement late on Friday, July 21, 2023. “Challengers,” featuring US star Zendaya, “will not participate at the Festival following a decision made by the production,” owing to ongoing industrial action in Hollywood, it said. GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
ROME—The Venice Film Festival has switched its opening selection, after the movie that had been slated to open pulled out because of the ongoing Hollywood strike, organizers said.
Edoardo De Angelis’ “Comandante” will now open the 80th Venice International Film Festival, in place of Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” the festival said in a statement late on Friday, July 21.
“Challengers” featuring US star Zendaya, “will not participate at the Festival following a decision made by the production,” owing to ongoing industrial action in Hollywood, it said.
“Comandante” will have its world premiere on Wednesday, Aug. 30 in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema (Lido di Venezia) during the opening ceremony.
The change comes with actors having a week ago joined a writers’ strike to trigger the first industry-wide walkout in 63 years, effectively shutting down Hollywood.
The SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild) went on strike after negotiations to reach a new deal with production studios ended without an agreement.
The union’s demands have focused on dwindling pay in the streaming era, as well as the threat to the industry posed by artificial intelligence.
Based on a true story, “Comandante” depicts the rescue of 26 shipwrecked Belgians during World War II by a submarine skipper played by Pierfrancesco Favino.
De Angelis, 44, was behind 2016 film “Indivisibili” and the TV drama series The Lying Life of Adults. /ra
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