Julia Roberts’ ‘After the Hunt’ Sparks Heated Feminist Debate at Venice Film Festival
Zoe Bennett, a seasoned entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience covering film and cultural discourse, delivers a sharp, data-driven analysis of the controversies surrounding Julia Roberts’ latest project. With a background in media ethics and film studies, Bennett unpacks the complex layers behind the buzz.
The facts matter. Here’s what we know so far: At the 82nd Venice Film Festival, Julia Roberts and director Luca Guadagnino found themselves at the center of a heated #MeToo-era debate over their new film, After the Hunt. The film, which premiered on Friday night, follows a philosophy professor (Roberts) caught in a tangled web of accusations, loyalties, and moral ambiguity when a mentee (Ayo Edebiri) accuses a colleague (Andrew Garfield) of misconduct.
During a press conference on Friday, Roberts was directly asked whether the film risks undermining the feminist movement and the progress made through #MeToo. Her response was measured but firm: “I don’t necessarily think it revives an old argument of women being pitted against one another.” The film, written by Nora Garrett, intentionally avoids clear-cut resolutions, instead opting to provoke discussion rather than deliver a moral verdict.
Roberts, who described the early-morning press questions as “softballs,” emphasized the film’s purpose: to stir debate. “Everyone comes out with all these different feelings and emotions and points of view,” she said. “And you realize what you believe in strongly and what your convictions are because we stir it all up for you.”
Guadagnino echoed this sentiment, stating that the film is not a manifesto but rather a reflection of clashing truths. “It’s not about reviving old-fashioned values,” he said. The director also addressed the film’s use of the Windsor-style font in its opening credits—a typographic choice famously associated with Woody Allen’s films from the late 1980s and early 1990s. When asked why he chose the font, Guadagnino quipped, “Why not?” before elaborating that the film felt stylistically linked to Allen’s work during that period, despite the controversial legacy of the filmmaker.
Though After the Hunt isn’t in competition at the festival, it has already generated significant conversation. Amazon MGM Studios plans to release the film in North American theaters on October 10, positioning it as an awards-season contender amid a crowded slate of prestige releases.
Roberts, making her first appearance at the Venice Film Festival, called the city “so magical,” though she admitted she’s been too busy to explore much beyond the festival grounds. Guadagnino, a frequent Venice visitor, previously brought films like Queer and Bones & All to the festival, and had originally planned to open the 2023 edition with Challengers before Hollywood strikes disrupted the schedule.
As the festival continues, After the Hunt remains one of the most talked-about titles, not just for its narrative complexity but for the broader cultural questions it raises about power, complicity, and the evolution of feminist storytelling in cinema.
Stay informed, stay critical, and follow the facts.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post
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