Venice Film Festival 2026: American monsters dominate the 83rd edition

The 83rd Venice Film Festival, which took place in 2026, was dominated by American filmmakers and themes, despite none of the two most prominent figures being native to the country. One such figure was Rupert Murdoch, the late Australian-born media mogul who established the powerful tabloid newspaper, The Sun. Another was Elon Musk, the American entrepreneur and business magnate, who appeared alongside former US President Donald Trump on the campaign trail in Butler, Pennsylvania on October 4, 2024.

The festival's lineup was notably political, with 11 feature films and multiple short films centered around Middle Eastern and Iranian issues. This was the most political selection in Venice's recent history. The politics extended beyond the Middle East, as America was scrutinized for its imperialist past, racist military, corrupt media, and oligarchic power.

One standout film was "Ink," directed by Danny Boyle. While set in Britain, the film traced the origin story of The Sun and its founder, Rupert Murdoch. The narrative focused on Murdoch's ruthless pursuit of profit, his disregard for journalistic ethics, and his eventual establishment of a media empire similar to those seen in America today.

The film showed Murdoch as a man who valued sensationalism and entertainment over truth and information, a pattern that echoed the rise of American right-wing media outlets like Fox News, The Daily Wire, and Newsmax.

Another film that highlighted American media issues was "Primetime," directed by Lance Oppenheim and produced by A24. The film depicted the controversial reality TV show, "To Catch a Predator," where men were lured into sexually explicit conversations with actors posing as minors. The film painted a picture of an American media landscape fixated on ratings and profit, similar to the ethical bankruptcy and moral hollowing seen in American media outlets today.