Everything We Know About Paolo Sorrentino's "La grazia" — Venice Film Festival Opening Film

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The opening film of the 82nd Venice Film Festival is Paolo Sorrentino's "La grazia." This is a major event not only for the festival itself, but for all lovers of thoughtful cinema.

The director of "The Great Beauty" and "The Young Pope" is back working with Toni Servillo, which means we're in for more than just a political drama — this is a philosophical parable about power, life, and death.

Plot and Cast

The main character is Italy's president, Mariano de Sanctis (Toni Servillo). A cautious centrist approaching both the end of his term and the twilight of his own life. An euthanasia bill lands on his desk that could shake this Catholic nation to its core, along with two pardon requests — one from a man who killed his sick wife, another from a woman who stabbed her abusive husband.
Actor Toni Servillo in a classic suit stands at a three-quarter angle against a backdrop of men
Toni Servillo in a frame from the film "La grazia"
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Together with him, viewers will search for answers to the eternal question: who owns human life? Joining Servillo on screen are Anna Ferzetti, Massimo Venturiello, and Orlando Cinque.

What Makes This Film Special

For Sorrentino, this marks a return to the genre he knows best: blending politics with existential questions.

The president here isn't some monumental figure, but a living, breathing human being. He misses his wife, feels jealous of her even after death, and listens to youth music. There's both irony and touching humanity in this.

The film tackles themes of mercy and justice: can you remain kind while holding power?

Sorrentino's visual style is unmistakable: grand scenes, unexpected absurd details, and the beauty of Rome and Naples. But it's through this luxury that he speaks about simple, painful truths.

The film is already being called the director's strongest project in years — piercing, funny, and wise all at once.

Audience and Critical Response

Film critics who've already seen it are singing the director's praises. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an 86% "fresh" rating. The Film Stage calls it "appealing, intellectual, and emotionally rich."
Actor Toni Servillo in a black coat and black hat stands next to trees
Toni Servillo in a frame from the film "La grazia"
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The Times writes: "At first it happens slowly and sometimes with difficulty, but gradually, seductively, it gets under your skin, and it becomes virtually impossible to shake off."

Others are praising the project as inspiring, gripping, and powerful in its political statement.

Production Facts

  • Sorrentino wrote the screenplay himself
  • Filming took place in spring 2025 in Turin and Rome: castles, universities, squares, and even the Egyptian Museum became sets
  • The premiere was held on August 27, 2025, at the Venice Film Festival. The film was immediately included in competition, nominated for the "Golden Lion"
"La grazia" isn't so much a film about politics as it is a meditation on how a person says goodbye to power — and with it, the illusion of controlling life. Earlier on zoomboola.com, we reviewed the dramedy "The Roses" — a new film starring Benedict Cumberbatch.