Venice Film Festival lines up an impressive array of international stars

New works by Darren Aronofsky, Andrew Dominik, Alejandro J. Inarritu, Luca Guadagnino, Joanna Hogg and Laura Poitras are among the rich roster of titles that will launch from the Lido and compete for a Golden Lion at the upcoming Venice Film Festival, which is set for a standout stellar 79th edition.

Artistic director Alberto Barbera has unveiled a luscious, politically infused line-up comprising a slew of hotly anticipated films from the US and elsewhere around the world, featuring scores of stars.

Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, Ana de Armas, Cate Blanchett, Timoth?e Chalamet, Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Christoph Waltz, Sigourney Weaver and Mia Goth are some top talents expected to be on the Palazzo Del Cinema's red carpet during the August 31-September 10 event, reports 'Variety'.

Aronofsky, a Venice aficionado whose 'Black Swan' was the Lido's opener in 2010, is back with 'The Whale', an adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter's play about a morbidly obese recluse, played by Brendan Fraser and also starring Sadie Sink and Samantha Morton.