Venice 2026 Film Festival Reviews Three Unique Works

Venice 2026 Film Festival: Three Premieres and Critical Response Overview

The Venice 2026 Film Festival presented three distinct new works: Paul Schrader's psychological thriller "The Basics of Philosophy," the Belgian drama "Diane in the Loop" from writer-directors Anne Sirot and Raphaël Balboni, and Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda's live-action adaptation of the manga "Look Back." This coverage provides an in-depth critical evaluation of each film as reviewed by RogerEbert.com.

Venice 2026 festival coverage includes film reviews for "The Basics of Philosophy," "Diane in the Loop," and "Look Back," offering a spectrum of critical reception ranging from severe misfire to yearly highlight.

Key Facts: Venice 2026 Film Festival Reviews

This section provides the fundamental factual anchors for the three films reviewed at the Venice 2026 Film Festival, including directors, cast, and critical context.

What Is "The Basics of Philosophy"?

"The Basics of Philosophy" is a film written and directed by Paul Schrader, considered by the reviewer to be potentially the worst film of his career. It is a psychological thriller about a philosophy professor with a hidden life and a deeply troubling secret past involving the molestation of a former student.

The narrative follows John Jorrinson, a philosophy professor at a small Midwestern college, who is portrayed as erudite and multitalented, playing piano well enough to teach it. He is dating a psychology professor named Rebecca, played by Sofia Boutella, yet leads a secret life picking up men at a bar called Sidekicks Saloon. The plot is driven by the emergence of Miguel Vasque (Daniel Zovatto), a former piano student whom John groomed and molested as a child.

The film's central conflict involves John's attempts to maintain his identity and avoid professional ruin as his past actions resurface, culminating in a blackmail plot and a forced proposal to his girlfriend.

What Are the Main Criticisms Against Schrader's "The Basics of Philosophy"?

The criticisms are extensive, focusing on the screenplay, technical execution, and thematic handling. The reviewer notes that the movie is "a sour misfire" and "far from a classic on the order of 'Mishima' or 'First Reformed.'"

The review identifies several specific flaws. The writing is described as "stilted and declamatory," and big conceptual swings do not connect. The film is deemed "barely professional" in its technical execution, with both color and black-and-white scenes having a "harsh, sometimes blown-out, very video look." The depiction of the protagonist's sexuality is called "strangely retrograde," suffused in "a fog of shame."

The fantasy sequence in which John encounters Baruch Spinoza is singled out as a misfire, with the reviewer stating: "Spinoza wears a 'period' outfit that looks like it was FedExed from the Spirit Halloween Store in Amsterdam." — RogerEbert.com Venice 2026 review

Despite the performance of Richard Gere as the university president, which is described as an effective cameo that doubles as a callback to Schrader's early "American Gigolo" years, the film is deemed a failure. Jack Huston's performance is noted as an ingenious but unsuccessful solution, where he plays most scenes smiling to appear sincere.

According to the review, "The Basics of Philosophy" fails to connect critically due to retrograde identity politics, a stilted screenplay, and substandard technical production values.

What Is "Diane in the Loop" About?

"Diane in the Loop" is a Belgian film produced by the Dardenne brothers and directed by Anne Sirot and Raphaël Balboni. It is a drama that explores the themes of revenge, justice, and intergenerational trauma following the rape of the protagonist's mother, avoiding standard revenge-thriller clichés.

The film centers on Diane, a 28-year-old woman who learns about her mother's rape through a conversation early in the film. Her mother, played by Sandrine Black, was raped as a young woman but kept it a secret and refuses to disclose the perpetrator's name, preferring to leave the past behind. The narrative follows Diane as she interacts with the world, including a cyclist played by Lucas Meister, and struggles with the knowledge of this unpunished crime.

The director's style superficially suggests the Dardenne brothers, using jump cuts, plain close-ups, and handheld shots, but infuses the tale with "dry humor and a playful air of mystery."

The central question of the film is defined as follows: "whether a victim has the sole right to determine how others should view a crime committed against them, and can exercise veto power over those who disagree." — RogerEbert.com Venice 2026 review

It is described as "life-affirming" and hard to find another film on this subject that matches its approach to unpunished crime.

"Diane in the Loop" addresses the psychological aftermath of sexual assault without showing the crime itself, focusing instead on the ordinariness of the outrage and the self-defeating cycles of behavior that keep people from evolving.

What Is Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Look Back" About?

"Look Back" is a live-action film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, based on the 2021 one-shot web manga of the same name. It is the third telling of this story, following the source manga and a 2024 animated feature, and is described as a highlight of the moviegoing year.

The film chronicles the friendship and creative partnership between two girls obsessed with manga: Fujino, a popular go-getter, and Kyomoto, an agoraphobic girl who cannot attend school. They meet when Fujino delivers a diploma to Kyomoto's home, and they form a partnership based on their mutual love of manga, creating a 42-page story that wins a student art contest and catapults them into the professional world.

The film is an "experiential" work, showing the feeling of being in a place and doing a thing, spending time on the physical process of penciling and inking pages.

"Look Back" is a testament to the story's power to support multiple adaptations, with the director paying tribute to Hayao Miyazaki and using the narrative to explore how artists use the worst events in their lives as fuel for artistic expression.

Who Is the Ideal Audience for These Films?

The ideal audience differs significantly per film, based on critical reception and content. "The Basics of Philosophy" would appeal to completists of Paul Schrader's "Man in a Room" series, although the review suggests it is for those who appreciate his thematic baggage, despite its technical failures. "Diane in the Loop" is suited for viewers interested in European social realism and nuanced portrayals of trauma that avoid revenge clichés. "Look Back" is recommended for fans of Kore-eda, manga adaptations, and cinema that affirms art's ability to alchemize suffering.

• Schrader Fans: Those tracking the "Man in a Room" series, which includes "Taxi Driver," "First Reformed," and "The Card Counter," may see this as an essential, albeit flawed, piece.
• Auteur Seekers: Audiences who appreciate the Dardenne brothers' production style and neorealist drama.
• Animation/Comic Fans: Viewers who enjoyed the 2024 animated "Look Back" and wish to see the story re-interpreted in live-action.

Common Questions: Venice 2026 Films

How does "The Basics of Philosophy" connect to Paul Schrader's past work?

"The Basics of Philosophy" is the latest installment in Schrader's "Man in a Room" series, featuring loners who journal. Richard Gere's cameo serves as a callback to "American Gigolo," and the film directly invokes Robert Bresson's "Diary of a Country Priest" and "Pickpocket," which are Schrader's inspirations.

What makes the "Diane in the Loop" narrative unique?

The narrative is unique because it discusses a sexual assault crime without ever showing it, avoiding clichés about revenge and justice. It focuses on the question of whether a victim has sole right to dictate how others view the crime, presenting the horror through "the horrible ordinariness of the outrage" rather than dramatic depiction.

What is the premise of the "Look Back" story?

The story is about the friendship and creative partnership between two girls, Fujino and Kyomoto, who bond over manga. After winning a student contest, they enter the professional world, but the movie takes a sharp turn into heartbreak with a shocking twist that is used to explore artistic expression.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based exclusively on the source material provided from RogerEbert.com, specifically the article titled "Venice 2026 Film Festival Reviews Three Unique Works" by the publication's critic. The specific film reviews for "The Basics of Philosophy," "Diane in the Loop," and "Look Back" were analyzed to extract facts, cast names, and critical quotes.

All direct quotes included in this article are verbatim from the provided source material. Information regarding data not included in the source, such as specific release dates or box office figures, remains unknown. This article was last updated on May 8, 2026.