Venice Film Festival kicks off with Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘La Grazia’ and questions about Gaza

The Venice Film Festival is kicking off with the world premiere of Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia” on Wednesday.

The 82nd edition of the glamourous international film festival is playing host to many Hollywood stars, including George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Dwayne Johnson, and famed auteurs, from Guillermo del Toro to Kathryn Bigelow, who all have films debuting over the next 10 days.

The conflict in Gaza has also already been an everpresent topic both outside the festival’s walls, where protesters gathered, and during the news conferences.

The festival, which takes place on the Lido, chose to open with the newest film from one of Italy’s most revered working filmmakers.

“La Grazia” stars Sorrentino’s longtime collaborator Toni Servillo as a fictional Italian president who is paralyzed by indecision near the end of his term, grappling with signing a bill that allows euthanasia and mourning his late wife.

Sorrentino said that he was inspired to write the film