Will Venice Head Stay On?

As the Venice Film Festival winds down into its final days and the announcement of its Golden Lion winners this weekend, speculation is swirling about the fate of its often controversial and continually outspoken Artistic Director Marco Mueller.  Italian media has begun their public guessing game on the long term prospects of Mueller continuing in his position after somewhat divisive 8-year tenure. Mueller’s mandate – like those of the heads of all the sections of the Venice Biennale– is up at the end of the year, and so far there has been no indication about whether he wants to stay on for an unprecedented third mandate or whether he will be asked to do so. At the annual foreign press lunch in Venice last week, Mueller deflected questions about his return, although regional and city political leaders quoted in the local press say they want Mueller to stick around. No decision is expected before October, but the topic is sure to be a focal point for weeks to come. The consensus is that if Mueller does not return for the 69th edition next year, he will have gone out in style….. not only is the 23-film main competition made up entirely of world premieres for the fourth time in five years, but the Festival is boasting 65 world premieres in total in various sections…..quite an impressive figure. Having world premieres, where films first screen here in Venice, allows the Festival to maintain its status as a must-attend event for the industry. And the Festival is certainly not skimping on the glitz and glamour…..this year’s event attracted a steady stream of A-list stars including George Clooney, Madonna, Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley, among others.

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