A New Horizon: Giornate Degli Autori Unveils Bold, Female-Centric Lineup for 2024 Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival’s independently run parallel section, Giornate Degli Autori (also known as Venice Days), has officially pulled back the curtain on a 2024 program that promises to redefine the boundaries of contemporary cinema. With a slate defined by narrative daring, genre-blurring experimentation, and a profound focus on the female experience, the festival continues to cement its reputation as the essential incubator for auteur-driven storytelling.
The marquee attraction for this year’s edition is the world premiere of My Notes on Mars, the first English-language feature from acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Lili Horvát. Starring Mackenzie Davis and Rupert Friend, the film serves as the festival’s prestigious opening act, signaling a shift toward ambitious, high-concept international projects.
The Main Facts: A Diverse Vision for Venice Days
The 2024 edition of Giornate Degli Autori features 25 world premieres across its various segments. Among these, a remarkable 14 are directed by women, underscoring the section’s long-standing commitment to gender parity and the amplification of underrepresented voices. The selection committee has curated a program that functions as a "patchwork of genres," according to artistic director Gaia Furrer, ranging from sentimental science fiction to gritty political drama.
My Notes on Mars is perhaps the most anticipated entry, particularly given Horvát’s critical success with her 2020 film, Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time. The new film follows Margot, an astrophysicist whose life is upended by a domestic crisis. When she vanishes during a hiking trip with her husband, Sam, she reappears weeks later on the very day of her own memorial service, possessing no memory of her previous existence—save for the complexities of her research on the Red Planet.
Chronology and Evolution of the Section
Founded in 2004 by the late film critic Giorgio Gosetti, the Giornate Degli Autori was modeled after the influential Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors’ Fortnight) at Cannes. Supported by Italian film associations ANAC and 100autori, the section was designed to provide a sanctuary for independent cinema within the broader, often more commercial, framework of the Venice Film Festival.
This year’s edition is marked by a somber milestone: it is the first to be held following the passing of Giorgio Gosetti, who died in Rome this past March at the age of 70. For over two decades, Gosetti served as the "guiding spirit" of the organization. To honor his legacy, the festival has dedicated the 2024 program to his memory, acknowledging his tireless work in turning the section into a globally respected hub for discovery. The 23rd edition is scheduled to run from September 2 to September 12, operating in tandem with the official Venice Film Festival.
Supporting Data: The 2024 Competition and Beyond
The competition section is, as ever, the heart of the festival. This year, 10 films will contend for top honors, judged by an all-female jury led by Spanish filmmaker Carla Simón, whose previous works Alcarràs and Romeria have garnered international acclaim. Joining her on the jury are Hania Mroue, founder and director of the iconic Metropolis Cinema in Beirut, and Italian director-producer Sara Fgaier.
Selected Competition Highlights
- "Agata the Writer" (Kuba Dorabialski): Featuring Mia Wasikowska, this film follows a Polish-Australian satirical novelist who faces resistance from locals while attempting to document the Bosnian war in Sarajevo.
- "Balcanica" (Nicola Sorcinelli): A poignant narrative featuring Matilda De Angelis, centered on Afghan musicians forced to flee along the Balkan route after music is outlawed in their homeland.
- "Dear Ajayi" (Damilola Orimogunje): A Nigerian production exploring the fractured relationship between two sisters brought back together by a sudden tragedy.
- "A Woman Today" (Robert Guédiguian): A French drama focusing on Juliette, a high-flying finance executive whose life is shattered by an act of workplace assault.
Beyond the competition, the Special Events lineup offers a cross-section of global cinema. Francesca Archibugi’s documentary, Carla Lonzi, dentro e fuori dal mondo, delves into the life of the radical feminist activist and art critic. Meanwhile, the closing night will feature Lèa Domenach’s A Man’s Skin, a queer, feminist musical comedy set against the backdrop of the Italian Renaissance, reuniting the director with screen icon Catherine Deneuve.
Furthermore, the Prada-commissioned Miu Miu Women’s Tales continues its tradition of showcasing short films by world-class directors, with new entries from Mona Fastvold and Claire Denis.
Official Responses and Artistic Philosophy
In her official statement regarding the selection, Gaia Furrer emphasized the necessity of artistic fluidity. "It’s a patchwork of genres that reflects the vibrancy of contemporary cinema and its ability to evolve along with the world itself," Furrer noted. She described the selection as a collection of "sentimental science fiction, experimental documentaries, history films, family melodramas, anti-hero westerns, musical comedies and other works that freely cross the borders between documentary film and fiction."
This philosophy of genre-crossing is a direct response to the shifting landscape of global cinema, where the traditional lines between "prestige drama" and "genre film" have become increasingly porous. By hosting works that explore the "female universe"—regardless of the gender of the person behind the camera—Giornate Degli Autori is positioning itself as a leader in the discourse on modern identity and storytelling.
Implications: The Future of Independent Cinema
The focus on female-led narratives and the inclusion of diverse, global perspectives in the 2024 lineup suggests that Venice Days is not merely interested in the "prestige" of traditional festival circuit films, but in the social and political weight of the stories they tell.
The inclusion of films like Dear Ajayi and Al Baraneya (a debut by Dutch-Egyptian director Ashgan El-Hamus) highlights a commitment to bringing stories from outside the Western canon to the forefront of the European festival circuit. By providing a platform for these works, the section ensures that the conversation at Venice remains inclusive, challenging, and forward-looking.
Furthermore, the decision to maintain an all-female jury for the competition is a significant statement in an industry that continues to grapple with historical disparities in representation. It signals that the section is not merely paying lip service to diversity, but is actively reconfiguring the power structures of film criticism and evaluation.
As the industry moves through a period of immense change—fueled by the rise of streaming, the aftermath of labor strikes, and the constant evolution of digital distribution—the role of the festival has never been more vital. Venice Days continues to act as a vital filter for the global film community, distilling the vast output of the industry into a curated selection of works that matter.
In honoring the legacy of Giorgio Gosetti while pushing the boundaries of what a "film festival" can be, the 2024 Giornate Degli Autori is poised to be a watershed moment for independent cinema. Whether through the lens of a sci-fi mystery like My Notes on Mars or the historical excavation of feminist icons like Carla Lonzi, the upcoming festival promises to offer a profound reflection of the world as it stands today: complex, fragmented, and searching for a new language of connection.
Full Lineup Summary
In Competition
- Sadness Sometimes, Other Times Revolt, Maria Aparicio
- Agata the Writer, Kuba Dorabialski
- Balcanica, Nicola Sorcinelli
- Camouflage, Mykyta Gibalenko
- Dear Ajayi, Damilola Orimogunje
- I Plant My Hand in the Garden, Boris Hadžija and Hoda Taheri
- Les Indes, Pauline Julier and Nicolas Chapoulier
- My Notes on Mars, Lili Horvát (Opening Film)
- Salón De Bellezza, Nathalia Acevedo
- A Woman Today, Robert Guédiguian
Out of Competition
- Man’s Skin, Lèa Domenach
Special Events
- Al Baraneya, Ashgan El-Hamus
- Carla Lonzi, A Feminist Story, Francesca Archibugi
- The Phantom, Ignacio Masilorens and David Lamelas
- The Massacre, Cosimo Messeri
- Even if Hell Came, Samuele Rossi
Miu Miu Women’s Tales (Shorts)
- Discipline, Mona Fastvold
- Avec Kim, Claire Denis
