Venice Film Festival has always been a launchpad of award season gems, but so far this year one film is dominating every conversation: Bugonia.
Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest film, starring Emma Stone as a pharmaceutical CEO abducted by conspiracy-obsessed young men convinced she’s an alien, is creating all sorts of buzz. The surreal black comedy mixes alien paranoia with razor-sharp social critique.
Stone herself called it “funny, and alive“. Then, of course there is the other kind of buzz, the film’s head-shaving set piece, which is already making a statement. Stone’s gamine chop on the red carpet, an evolving case for why the pixie chop is still as chic as ever.
Who Is Cast In Bugonia ?
Best known for The Favourite and Poor Things, Lanthimos’s latest film premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival on August 28 and is in the running for the prestigious Golden Lion.
Reimagined from the 2003 South Korean cult classic Save The Green Planet! the story now features a female captive lead (Stone) alongside Jesse Plemons as a conspiracy-obsessed man and a comeback by our 90s It-Girl Alicia Silverstone as Stone’s corporate rival, in a role that feels both nostalgic and deliciously subversive.
When Is The Release of Bugonia?
After its Venice premiere on August 28, Bugonia will hit theatres abroad on October 24, rolling out for the rest of the world from October 31.
But it’s not the only title worth bookmarking this season. Venice 2025 has delivered yet another slate of bold-prestige driven films worthy of your viewing. Here is what else to expect:
Best Venice Film Festival Films
Frankenstein
A gothic feast from Guillermo del Toro featuring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, this reimagining of Shelley’s masterpiece is dripping with baroque eloquence.
Backed by Netflix, expect a theatrical flirtation from October 17 before released to streaming on November 7, fittingly just in time for Scorpio season.
After The Hunt
After the success of Challengers, Luca Guadagnino is showcasing his latest work, an Ivy League-set moral thriller. Starring Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield, the film blends oozing sensual tension with psychological mind trickery.
Produced by Amazon MGM, it’s headed to theatres on limited run from October 7 before a wider roll out set for October 17.
The Smashing Machine
Benny Safdie’s biopic about UFC legend Mark Kerr stars Dwayne Johnson in a gritty, transformative role.
From A24, this is a film all about athletic power and is set to be an emotional gut-punch. Poised for release to our shores on October 2.
Father Mother Sister Brother
Jim Jarmusch brings ensemble minimalism to a story of intergenerational misunderstandings, starring Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver. Right in the wheelhouse for two veterans of the drama genre, expect indie quirk and sentimentality with stellar performance.
A release set internationally on December 17 via Mubi.
Jay Kelly
Greta Gerwig’s better half, Noah Baumbach is back on the circuit with an ensemble comedy. Headed up by George Clooney, Laura Dern, and Adam Sandler, this is Venice’s introspective star-studded entry.
From existential musings to high-fashion red carpet glamour, this is a Netflix contender to put in the calendar.
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