Venice Days Opens With Mackenzie Davis Sci-Fi Film

The Venice Film Festival's independent Giornate Degli Autori section will commence its 2024 edition with the premiere of Lili Horvát's "My Notes on Mars." This marks the Hungarian director's first English-language feature film and stars Mackenzie Davis and Rupert Friend. The selection for this year's Giornate Degli Autori emphasizes works directed by women and films that explore the female experience, irrespective of the director's gender.

The full lineup for the Giornate Degli Autori, which runs from August 28 to September 7, 2024, includes 12 films. Among these are "A Little Life," directed by Arly Jones and Raed Andoni, and "The Village Next to Paradise," by Mohamad Jawad. The section also features "The Girl with the Needle," by Magnus von Horn, and "The Return," by Uberto Pasolini. "My Notes on Mars" itself is described as a science fiction drama.

This year's selection aims to highlight diverse voices and narratives within cinema. The Giornate Degli Autori, established in 2004, operates independently from the main Venice Film Festival program and is dedicated to showcasing auteur cinema. The opening film's focus on a female-centric narrative aligns with the section's stated commitment to exploring the female universe through its programming.