Sorrentino Returns to Venice with La Grazia, Opening the 82nd Biennale Cinema

La Grazia starring Toni Servillo — photo by Andrea Pirrello

The 82nd Venice International Film Festival will open with a world premiere that cinephiles won't want to miss. La Grazia, the latest film from Oscar®-winning director Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty, The Hand of God), will take center stage on August 27, 2025, at the iconic Sala Grande.

Starring longtime collaborator Toni Servillo alongside Anna Ferzetti, La Grazia marks Sorrentino’s return to Venice in competition, further deepening his decades-long relationship with the festival. Festival director Alberto Barbera celebrated the news, calling the film “highly anticipated” and “destined to leave its mark for its great originality and powerful relevance to the present time.”

Produced by The Apartment (a Fremantle company), Numero 10, and PiperFilm, La Grazia is distributed in Italy by PiperFilm, with MUBI holding worldwide rights (excluding Italy) and The Match Factory handling international sales.

The premiere continues Sorrentino’s streak of high-profile festival launches, from Cannes to Venice, and solidifies his status as one of Europe’s most important living auteurs.

The 82nd edition of La Biennale di Venezia runs from August 27 to September 6, 2025. Stay tuned for more coverage from the Lido.