Luca Guadagnino reinforced his reputation as a Venice favorite on Friday night, as his latest film After the Hunt received a five-minute standing ovation at its world premiere in the Sala Grande. Starring Julia Roberts, the film drew cheers from the audience despite dividing critics earlier in the day at its press screenings.

The story follows a college professor (Roberts) whose life unravels when her star student (Ayo Edebiri) accuses a colleague (Andrew Garfield) of sexual assault. As she navigates the fallout, long-buried secrets from her own past threaten to emerge. Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny also star, with a screenplay by Nora Garrett.

Arriving on a rain-soaked red carpet, Guadagnino and his cast were welcomed warmly inside. At the end of the screening, Roberts blew kisses into the crowd as she and her co-stars embraced from the balcony.

Earlier in the day, Roberts addressed the press about the film’s treatment of sensitive themes. She rejected the idea that the story undermines feminism, saying the intent was to encourage dialogue rather than deliver a message.

“There’s a lot of old arguments that get rejuvenated in this movie in a way that does create conversation,” she said. “The best part of your question is you talking about how you all came out of the theater talking about [the film], and that’s how we wanted it to feel — that everybody comes out with all these different feelings, emotions, and points of view. You realize what you believe in strongly and what your convictions are because we stir it all up for you. So you’re welcome.”

She added that the film reflects characters rather than manifestos.

“We’re not making statements. We are portraying these people in this moment in time, and the camera has fallen from the sky in this particular moment and captures all this.”

Venice has long been a stage for Guadagnino’s premieres, from I Am Love and A Bigger Splash to Suspiria and Bones and All, which earned him the Silver Lion for Best Director in 2022. Last year he brought Queer to the festival, and now he returns with After the Hunt, a drama that has already sparked strong reactions. Read more about this year’s Venice Film Festival lineup and our festival coverage of Breakwater.

After the Hunt will be released in U.S. cinemas on October 17, followed by a UK release on October 22 through Amazon MGM Studios. The 82nd Venice International Film Festival runs through September 6.

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