Venice 2026: Six Oscar-Buzzing Films You Can't Miss This Year!

The Venice International Film Festival is one of the most important events in the movie world. Every year, filmmakers from all over the globe bring their newest films to Venice, hoping to impress critics and audiences. Many movies that premiere at Venice go on to win major awards, including the Oscars. This year, the festival had fewer big Hollywood productions than usual, but there were still several films that created a lot of excitement and are already being talked about as possible Oscar contenders.

One of the standout films is Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson. Pattinson has had a busy year, and in this movie, he takes on the role of Chris Hansen, the real-life host of the TV show To Catch a Predator. The show was famous for catching people who were trying to do bad things, but the film looks at the complicated side of Hansen's work. Pattinson not only stars in the film but also helped produce it. He is in almost every scene and does a great job of capturing Hansen's personality, adding his own unique style to the character. Because the Academy often likes movies where actors play real people, and because Pattinson is both popular and talented, many people think he could get his first Oscar nomination for this role.

Another film getting attention is Wild Horse Nine, directed by Martin McDonagh. His last movie, The Banshees of Inisherin, was nominated for nine Oscars. Wild Horse Nine is a dark comedy about two CIA agents on vacation on Easter Island in 1973. The main characters are played by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Malkovich, in particular, gives a powerful performance as an aging assassin who is both strange and deeply emotional. He has been nominated for Oscars before, and his role in this film could bring him another chance at winning.

Flesh Impact is a short film that stands out at the festival. It was made to celebrate what would have been Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday. The film imagines Monroe as a lively 100-year-old woman auditioning for a Broadway play. She tells her life story in her own words, and the film is both touching and clever. Ellen Burstyn, who is 93 and has won many awards, plays the older Monroe, while Dakota Johnson plays her younger self in flashbacks. The film is only 17 minutes long but has a lot of heart, and many believe it could win the Oscar for best live action short film.

Woman Unknown is a Danish drama set in Copenhagen just after World War Two. The story follows a nanny who is about to marry her boss, a widowed industrialist. However, her past comes back to haunt her when an old schoolmate threatens to reveal a secret about her relationship with a German during the Nazi occupation. The film explores how people make difficult choices to survive and how men sometimes justify their mistreatment of women. Mathilde Arkel gives a strong and expressive performance, and the film is being talked about as a possible nominee for best international film.

Possible Love is a new film from Lee Chang-dong, whose last movie, Burning, was highly praised. This film is about a middle-class director who, with her wealthy husband, is making a documentary about a factory worker and his wife. The two couples become friends, but the film asks whether their friendship is real or just based on convenience. The movie is detailed and thoughtful, and it has received excellent reviews, making it a strong candidate for an Oscar nomination.

Finally, there is Musk, a documentary about Elon Musk, the world's richest man. Directed by Alex Gibney, who has already won an Oscar for best documentary, the film covers Musk's life from his childhood in South Africa to his success with Tesla and SpaceX. The documentary is four hours long and covers many aspects of Musk's life, including his support for political parties. Although Musk himself criticized the film, it has made a big impact and could be a contender for best documentary at the Oscars.

These six films from the Venice Film Festival are all very different, but each one has something special that could help it win an Oscar. The festival continues to be a place where new and exciting movies are discovered, and this year is no exception. Movie fans everywhere are eager to see which of these films will be nominated and which ones will take home the big prizes.