Venice Critics' Week unveils experimental 2026 selection

Venice Critics' Week, the annual sidebar curated by Italy's national union of film critics, unveiled its 2026 selection on Monday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The programme mixes experimental and political work, with selections including an AI-assisted video essay from Colombia, a Tunisian science-fiction dystopia, and an Italian coming-of-age musical directed by Marco Giaffa titled Il Grande Giaffa. The sidebar has long served as a testing ground for unconventional cinema within the framework of the Venice International Film Festival, one of Europe's three major film festivals.

The inclusion of an Italian musical in a curated international selection reflects the ongoing visibility of Italian cinema in translation at the world's festival circuit. Venice's Critics' Week operates independently from the main competition, selected by the Sindacato Nazionale Critici Cinematografici Italiani rather than the festival's official jury. This year's programme signals a shift toward formally experimental work and global perspectives on contemporary political questions.