Turkey has officially selected Murat Firatoğlu’s directorial debut, “One of Those Days When Hemme Dies,” as its entry for the Academy Awards’ international feature film category. The film was chosen from 14 submissions by Turkey’s Oscar committee, a body composed of film industry professionals. Firatoğlu’s film is a compelling narrative of class-based rage and rebellion, following a farmworker named Eyüp on a quest for justice during a grueling tomato harvest in southeastern Turkey, driven by an urgent debt. After a confrontation with his supervisor, Eyüp embarks on a journey through the city seeking a radical resolution. “One of Those Days When Hemme Dies” garnered significant international acclaim, world premiering at last year’s Venice Film Festival, where it secured the special jury prize in the Orizzonti (Horizons) section. It further distinguished itself by winning the best film award at Turkey’s Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, and sweeping best film, director, and screenplay prizes at the 57th Turkish Film Critics Association Awards. Firatoğlu noted that the film portrays the escalating polarization within Turkish society between affluent investors and the impoverished working class, a theme he believes resonates globally. As a lawyer, Firatoğlu's political stance, particularly his left-leaning perspective, naturally informs his filmmaking, viewing societal polarization as a symptom of a larger worldwide malaise.

Meanwhile, the Venice Film Festival concluded with a flurry of awards and significant discussions, solidifying its position as a crucial launchpad for Oscar contenders. Among the notable accolades at the Venice Days section, Iranian director Amir Azizi’s “Inside Amir,” a poignant tribute to Tehran, received the director’s award. Azizi’s third feature chronicles a young man in Tehran contemplating emigration, clinging to his bicycle as a symbol of his past amid scattered memories and unfinished conversations. The jury praised it as a meditation on daily life, highlighting how routines and interactions provide both security and freedom. The Europa Cinemas Label for best European film was awarded to Greek directors Stergios Dinopoulos and Krysianna B. Papadakis’ “Bearcave,” a genre-bending queer love story set against the backdrop of Balkan mountain folklore, which will benefit from promotional support from Europa Cinemas. The Venice Days People’s Choice Award was evenly split between Ukrainian-born director Vladlena Sandu’s autobiographical “Memory,” which delves into traumatic childhood memories in war-torn Chechnya, and Lebanese filmmaker Cyril Aris’s “A Sad and Beautiful World,” a three-decade-spanning love story amidst Lebanon’s turbulent history, both films garnering 77.4% of the audience vote.

Politics played an unusually central role at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, diverging from its historically apolitical stance. The ongoing war in Gaza dominated conversations, both inside and outside premieres and press conferences. A striking moment was the 22-minute standing ovation for Kaouther Ben Hania’s devastating docudrama “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which depicts efforts to save a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed by the IDF. This emotionally charged screening saw Palestinian flags waved and chants of “Free Palestine” erupt. Days prior, thousands gathered for a Gaza rally across the Lido, with many filmmakers sporting Palestine pins. Other competition films, such as Olivier Assayas’ “The Wizard of the Kremlin” (addressing post-Soviet Russia) and Kathryn Bigelow’s “A House of Dynamite” (exploring nuclear armageddon), also tapped into geopolitical sensitivities. Many filmmakers arrived with prepared political statements, though jury head Alexander Payne admitted he was “unprepared” to comment on the Gaza war.

Hollywood's presence was strongly felt on the Lido, significantly bolstered by Netflix, which showcased three films in competition: Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” “A House of Dynamite,” and Noah Baumbach’s dramedy “Jay Kelly.” Despite strong showings, the festival remains a gamble for films aspiring to Oscar recognition, with warm receptions not always guaranteeing gold statues. However, several films emerged as strong Oscar hopefuls, including Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone’s “Bugonia” (receiving a six-minute ovation), Bennie Safdie’s wrestling drama “The Smashing Machine” starring Dwayne Johnson (a 15-minute ovation), and Mona Fastvold’s musical epic “The Testament of Ann Lee” (another 15-minute ovation), as well as Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt.” These films, featuring prominent stars like Emma Stone, Dwayne Johnson, Julia Roberts, Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, George Clooney, Adam Sandler, and Laura Dern, generated substantial buzz. While no film faced outright rejection on the scale of past anomalies, unanimous praise remained elusive. Expect intense discussions around Dwayne Johnson’s transformation in “The Smashing Machine” and Jesse Plemons’ performance in “Bugonia” in the coming months.

Adding to the festival's continuity, artistic director Alberto Barbera, who has led Venice since 2012, is expected to remain in his position beyond his current mandate expiring after the 2026 edition. Fears that a new president of the Venice Biennale might replace Barbera with a politically aligned individual were quashed, with the statement, “when they excel, they stay on.” Furthermore, attendees were treated to unexpectedly pleasant weather conditions, with cooler temperatures contrasting sharply with the brutal heatwave of the previous year, allowing for a more comfortable experience for both stars and festival-goers.