Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Nicole Kidman… A host of stars are expected from August 28 to September 7 at the 81st Venice Festivalwhose program was presented today.

Twenty-one films in total will compete for the Golden Lion for best film, Mostra artistic director Alberto Barbera announced during an online presentation.

Among the most anticipated films is Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie à deux,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and co-starring Lady Gaga.

Also, the screening of the movie “Maria”, where the Angelina Jolie she plays the leading opera singer Maria Callas, in the last days of her life in Paris. The spotlight will also be on the two friends, George Clooney and Brad Pitt, with a film, however, out of the competition, “Wolfs” by John Watts.

“The room next door,” the new feature from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar (and his first English-language film, set in New York), will also compete, starring Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore and John Turturro.

Australian actress Nicole Kidman plays the lead role in “Babygirl,” a romantic thriller by Halina Raine about a woman who is dissatisfied with her marital relationship and becomes involved in a dangerous sadomasochistic relationship.

British actor Jude Law tops the cast of Australian Justin Kurzel’s film “The order”, in the role of an FBI agent who infiltrates white racist circles in the 1980s.

The president of the jury will be the French actress this year Isabelle Hyper.

The oldest film festival begins on August 28 with an out-of-competition screening of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, the sequel to Tim Burton’s legendary 1988 film. A premiere that also promises a star-studded red carpet with American actor Michael Keaton flanked by Winona Ryder, Willem Dafoe and Monica Bellucci.