The 76th Venice International Film Festival, the world’s oldest film festival, kicks off on the beach-lined Lido island on Wednesday.

World-renowned Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s family drama “The Truth” opened the festival. Giuseppe Capotondi's “The Burnt Orange Heresy” will close it on September 7.

The Venice Film Festival is considered the start of the movie festival season. The Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride and New York festivals follow shortly after it.

For years, the Venice Film Festival has been a sort of litmus test for some of the year’s most anticipated films. In 2018, “Roma,” “The Favorite,” and “A Star Is Born” premiered there, and all found their way to Oscar wins. 

High-profile film debut competition

A slew of high-profile movies with big names is debuting in competition for the top Golden Lion Award.

In the space epic “Ad Astra," Brad Pitt plays an astronaut who travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father. His journey helps to uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.

Steven Soderbergh’s “The Laundromat” starts with a woman’s investigation into a fake insurance policy during her vacation. The film stars Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman.

In “The Perfect Candidate,” a female Saudi doctor challenges the patriarchal system by running as a candidate in the municipal council elections.

Other films include Noah Baumbach’s divorce drama “Marriage Story” starring Scarlett Johansson, and “Waiting for the Barbarians,” co-starred by Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson.

Chinese films shine in Venice

Two Chinese films will also compete for the Gold Lion Award in Venice this year.

Director Lou Ye's spy movie “Saturday Fiction” tells the story of an actress who collects intelligence during WWII in Shanghai under the guise of shooting films. Prestigious Chinese actress Gong Li plays the heroine. Other cast members include Mark Chao, Joe Odagiri, Pascal Greggory and Tom Wlaschiha.

Another nomination is for “No. 7 Cherry Lane," an animated feature directed by Yon Fan. It depicts a college student’s complicated relationship with a single mother and her young daughter. It’s the first Chinese animated film to run for the main competition in Venice.

Tibetan-style film “Balloon” has been shortlisted for the Horizons section, the second-largest competition section. Directed by Pema Tseden, who is perhaps the most famous Tibetan director in China, “Balloon” depicts how the death of a family patriarch can fracture the peace within the unit.

“Life Punch," which centers on female boxing, is selected in the "Focus on China" section. “Goodbye Dragon Inn” will be shown during the Venice Film Festival's special event at the Biennale Arte.

Controversy along the way

This year’s Venice film festival has drawn criticism due to a lack of female directors and the inclusion of some controversial male names in the competition.

Of the 21 nominations for the Golden Lion, only two are female directors: Saudi Arabian director Haifaa Al-Mansour with “The Perfect Candidate” and Australian director Shannon Murphy in her directing debut with “Babyteeth.”

Insufficient female directors is nothing new at the festival. Last year, it had only one female director: Jennifer Kent of  “The Nightingale.”

Against the backdrop of the gender disparity, the embrace of scandal-ridden male directors seems even more inappropriate.

Roman Polanski’s latest film “An Officer and a Spy” has been shortlisted for Golden Lion. The 86-year-old French-Polish director fled the U.S. after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a minor in 1977.

The festival is also hosting the premiere of “American Skin” from Nate Parker, who has been accused of sexual harassment or assault against figures in the entertainment industry. He was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018.

“I’m not a judge...I’m a film critic. When I see a film which is a really good one I don’t have any doubt to invite the film to the festival,” festival director Alberto Barbera told Reuters.

Cover photo designed by Fan Chenxiao