Venice, 2 September 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The 83rd Venice Film Festival is set launch on Wednesday with a lifetime achievement award for George Clooney and a line-up featuring some of the biggest names in cinema.

The 65-year-old Hollywood star will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the opening ceremony at 7 pm (1700 GMT). Actress Laura Dern will deliver the tribute. The two appeared together in "Jay Kelly," which premiered in Venice last year.

Danny Boyle's "Ink" has been selected as the festival's opening film. The British director is known for films including "Trainspotting" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

The film tells the story of how Rupert Murdoch and Larry Lamb transformed The Sun into a powerhouse of British tabloid journalism. It is one of 21 films competing for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion.

Among the most eagerly awaited films is the premiere "Primetime," starring Robert Pattinson as real-life journalist Chris Hansen. Hansen's NBC series "To Catch a Predator" used hidden cameras to confront suspected sex offenders, turning the encounters into controversial television.

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, meanwhile, play a married couple in "Bunker," about an architect commissioned by a tech billionaire to build an underground refuge to ride out doomsday.

Over the festival's 11 days Liam and Noel Gallagher are also expected for the premiere of Oasis reunion documentary "Don't Look Back in Anger."

The Gaza war will also feature prominently, with "Naza," from two of the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning "No Other Land," screening at the festival.

Jury press conference reinstated

Meanwhile, after some back and forth, the festival will hold a press conference with the jury ahead of the official opening after all.

The traditional event had initially not been scheduled, prompting irritation and criticism among festival attendees as well as speculation that the decision was linked to the politically charged opening press conferences seen at recent film festivals.

Festival organizers denied this, citing a scheduling conflict. A jury press conference was subsequently added to the programme for noon on Wednesday. Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal leads this year's jury.

Last year, US director Jim Jarmusch won the Golden Lion award for the best film for "Father Mother Sister Brother."

MIA file photo