The Venice Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday with the return of Hollywood royalty to Italy's swanky movie showcase, where 21 films from around the globe will vie for the prestigious Golden Lion award.

Julia Roberts and George Clooney are the biggest names expected at the 82nd edition of the world's longest-running festival, with a cavalcade of respected film directors, from Kathryn Bigelow and Guillermo del Toro to Jim Jarmusch, all due to arrive on the sandy Lido across the Venice lagoon.

Alongside the stars and glitzy atmosphere are films that promise to provoke debate, such as the Gaza film "The Voice of Hind Rajab" from two-time Oscar nominee Kaouther Ben Hania.

Before the start of the festival, a group of Italian film professionals called on organisers not to remain silent on the Gaza war, and a protest on the Lido is scheduled for Saturday.

The festival's artistic director, Alberto Barbera, told AFP he was seeing "a return to reality" from filmmakers.

Directors today are "reflecting on the major problems that afflict us daily on a global level, from wars to the return of nuclear anxiety, obviously the occupation of Gaza........

© International Business Times