The world has a little over a month to prepare for photos of Zendaya, The Crown’s Josh O’Connor, and West Side Story’s Mike Faist waving from gondolas and gracing the lido of the Venice Film Festival. Their sexy tennis drama Challengers, from Call Me By Your Name filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, will open the fest’s 80th edition, it was announced Thursday. The film will screen out of competition.
From first-time screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, Challengers tells the tale of Tashi Donaldson (Zendaya), a top-of-her-game tennis prodigy who begins a love affair with two fellow pros on the circuit—Art (Faist) and Patrick (O’Connor). After an injury ends her professional playing career, Tashi marries and becomes a coach for Art, a partnership that is thrown into chaos when Art and Patrick are forced to play against one another years later.
“I am so thrilled for audiences to experience my new film Challengers at the Venice Film Festival,” Guadagnino said in a statement. “It’s a modern bold story of youthful energy, love and power. Zendaya, Josh and Mike are totally original and fresh, bringing a new energy like you’ve never seen before. I can’t wait for the Lido audience to dance across the notes of the soundtrack of Trent [Reznor] and Atticus [Ross] at the opening night of the 80th edition of the Mostra. As a filmmaker, it is a dream come true and I am grateful to [Venice artistic director] Alberto [Barbera] and the whole Venice family for this wonderful recognition for the film.”
Challengers has snagged a prime spot at a festival that’s known to debut awards contenders. Last year, that list included Tár, The Banshees of Inisherin, and The Whale, not to mention the Don’t Worry Darling of it all. Guadagnino himself was at the fest just last year with Bones and All, starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell. In years past, he has used the fest to premiere other works as well, including I Am Love (2009), A Bigger Splash (2015), and Suspiria (2018). Zendaya last walked the Venice red carpet in 2021 alongside Chalamet for the premiere of Dune: Part 1.
Challengers will kick off the 2023 Venice Film Festival on Aug. 30, before debuting theatrically on Sept. 15.
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