Denis Villeneuve's Dune Premieres at Venice 78

Denis Villeneuve presented his film Dune out of competition at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, adapting Frank Herbert's science fiction novel after previous attempts by David Lynch and Alejandro Jodorowsky. The Canadian director splits the film into two chapters, with the first featuring a long, faithful prologue. The story revisits the feud between the noble houses Atreides and Harkonnen for control of Arrakis, a desert planet producing 'spice,' a drug essential for space travel and the empire's economy. Timothée Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides, a messianic figure shaped by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, who allies with the Fremen. Villeneuve is noted for blending blockbuster spectacle with art-house sensibilities, though the film suffers from a split between visual grandeur and narrative weakness, with a detailed first half and a rushed second. The adaptation omits the psychedelic, hallucinogenic aspects of the novel, reflecting a rationalist era that sterilizes emotion and unconsciousness. The article, written by Carlotta Petracci for Artribune, also promotes the magazine's newsletters on art market, urban regeneration, and cultural tourism.