Lasse Hallstrom's Casanova To Premiere at the Venice Film Festival

Veniceblog reader J. has just sent word that Lasse Hallstrom's Casanova will be unveiled at the Venice Film Festival on September 3rd. It should be released in the US around Christmas. (UPDATE: the reviews are trickling in. See this post.)

We've been tracking this production ... folks have sent me pix of the filming in progress, sets, actors in costume and the like (see this link, for example). The Casanova production company actually contacted me and used some of my ambient audio recordings of the city to guide sound design for the film

Some interesting blurbs from press material:

Casanova is, after an interval of almost 30 years, the first film by a major production company to be filmed entirely in Italy (and more importantly in Venice).

"We have been courting the producers of this film, which shows off Venice as an extraordinary movie set, ever since last year", declared the Festival's Director, Marco Müller. "It is the perfect film for a festive occasion; it is a fun, unrestrained work, like the classic Hollywood cloak-and-dagger films, but with a robust dose of modern, irreverent modernity."

(That's a relief. I hate old-fashioned, out of date modernity.)

The film stars Heath Ledger as the title horndog himself, along with the long-suffering Sienna Miller (Jude .. dude ... how could you?) as his love interest. You've also got  Jeremy Irons, Lena Olin and Oliver Platt to round out the cast.

I've got my fingers crossed on this one. I'll follow the early reviews and let you know.

By the way, if you're in town during the Film Festival, by all means go. It's a total trip, and not at all difficult to navigate. Tickets are reasonably easy to get, and available in convenient places throughout the city.

Comments

[Shannon]

Norman, have you ever been to the Communist festa that occurs at the same time as the Film Festival? Now THAT is a good time. Anyone heading in for the Film Festival - see if the festa is happening. Unless things have changed, it is in the Erberia area near the fish market. Fried seafood, cheap wine, cover bands on the Grand Canal... AWESOME. It goes for several days.
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It's SO funny you should say that. I haven't been to that one, but I went to one in Aquilea (I was on a two week solo sojourn from Venice to Grado in my boat) that kicked ass. Those commies really know how to party.

(Aquilea is amazing by the way ... the museum and the mosaics in the cathedral are beyond sublime).

[sandy]

I'm in town than and would love to see that - is it realy easy to get tickets?? Flying inon the 30th Aug for a week

[steph]

i was at the venice film fest unfortuently missed cassanover but got somegreat footage of heath and jerermy they are fantastic people :)

[James]

Can you buy a pass for the whole week of the flim festival and is it possible to do it online? Birthday present for a friend moving to Venice iN august.

thanks

James
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Not sure about that. I kinda doubt it, since tickets are sold for individual showings ... it would cause chaos if all the pass holders showed up for the same movie that individual buyers had sold-out. See what I mean?