Venice Critics’ Week, the side section of the Venice International Film Festival selected by the National Union of Italian Film Critics, revealed its 2026 selection on Monday.
Seven debut features have been selected as a showcase for up-and-coming international authors.
Il Grande Giafa (Giava the Magnificent) by Italian director Marco Santi, the story of an ordinary man drawn to the dangerous illusion of a charismatic actor, will open the out-of-competition section. another italian movie, Rydera musical collection of star-crossed lovers set in contemporary Milan, directed by Rowan Johnson and David Pavanello, the section will be closed.
The competition list includes two features that are very different from Colombia. Experimental documentary article End of time From directors Bibiana Rojas Gómez and Juan David Cárdenas, found footage and AI-generated images explore the legacy of historical violence in Latin America. meteor From Sebastián Múnera follows two young women on a journey through a lavish theme park built on the estate of the late drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Other competition includes the dystopian sci-fi film H@llow man From Tunisian director Kamal Al-Aridi; Londona drama about a fetish society, from Brazilian directors Victor De Marco and Márcio Piccoli; and Zoom in, zoom outthe debut feature film from Chinese director Dong Jie, which follows a young game designer who searches real and virtual worlds to find his missing roommate.
This year’s lineup is particularly political, something organizers said was intentional, noting that “the festival is not a neutral bubble” disconnected from the world. But despite its recognition of “our cultural activity,” the Film Critics Association said that artistic and formal standards had priority in the selection.
Critics’ Week takes place from September 2 to 12, coinciding with the main Venice festival. Venice will announce the full 2026 lineup on July 23.
Check out the full lineup for Venice Critics Week below.
Opening film
Il Grande Giafamonastery. Marco Santi (Italy)
In competition
End of timemonastery. Bibiana Rojas Gomez, Juan David Cardenas (Colombia)
H@llow manmonastery. Kamal Al Aridi (Tunisia)
Londonmonastery. Victor De Marco, Marcio Piccoli (Brazil)
meteormonastery. Sebastian Munera (Colombia)
Our share of sandmonastery. Shalini Adnani (India, UK, Greece)
Prima della Guerramonastery. Tommaso Osperti (France, Italy)
Zoom in, zoom outmonastery. Dong Jie (China)
Closing movie
Rydermonastery. Rowan Johnson, Davide Pavanello (Italy)
