Innovation key in making the cut for 75th Venice film fest

THE Venice film festival will celebrate its 75th birthday this year with a star-packed lineup with directors like Kenneth Branagh, Brian De Palma, Ken Loach, Peter Greenaway and Ang Lee vying for its top prize.

US and British films dominate the programme of the world’s oldest movie contest, totalling 11 titles out of the 22 films — all world premieres — in the main competition.

“We wanted to show that there is an Anglo-Saxon cinema that is different from the mainstream one,” said the festival’s director, Marco Mueller.