The Mill collaborations selected for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival will take place on the Lido di Venezia from 2–12 September 2026.

Organised by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera, the Festival is one of the world’s most prestigious celebrations of cinema and is officially recognised by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Association).

Each year, Venice brings together filmmakers, artists, and audiences from around the world to celebrate cinema in all its forms; as an art form, an entertainment medium, and an industry. With a programme dedicated to both contemporary filmmaking and the restoration of classic films, the Festival continues to foster creativity, dialogue, and a deeper understanding of cinema’s history.

For the 83rd edition, two films featuring collaborations with The Mill’s film & series teams have been selected for the Official Selection, highlighting the strength of the creative partnerships behind these ambitious projects.

Bunker
European Premiere

Bunker will have its European Premiere at Venice 2026.

Directed by Oscar-winning writer-director Florian Zeller, the psychological drama stars Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem as a couple whose relationship is tested when a mysterious billionaire’s proposal leads them into an unexpected ethical dilemma. Stephen Graham, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Paul Dano complete the cast of this gripping story.

The Mill’s film & series teams collaborated closely with the filmmakers from pre-production through final delivery, crafting 190 VFX shots that support the story while preserving a strong sense of realism. Supervised by Arnaud Fouquet and produced by Loriane Lucas for The Mill Paris, the VFX work included digital environments and visual enhancements developed alongside Florian Zeller and the production team to blend naturally with the photographed material, resulting in a sophisticated contribution where invisible craftsmanship, technical precision, and creative collaboration serve the emotional impact of the story.

Father Joe
World Premiere, Out of Competition

Father Joe, directed by Barthélemy Grossmann, will have its world premiere in the Out of Competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.

Starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ever Anderson, and Al Pacino, the film is written and produced by Luc Besson. The project brings together an outstanding creative team, with The Mill’s Film & Series artists contributing their expertise as part of the wider production collaboration.

With 350 VFX shots supervised by VFX Supervisor Laurent Creusot and VFX Producer Alice Neichols, the team helped craft the film’s visual world through complex digital environments and detailed compositing work. The project involved the creation and integration of around 18 different environments in the digital matte painting process, supporting the filmmakers’ vision and enhancing the storytelling through seamless visual effects.

Celebrating ongoing collaborations with Venice-selected films

The presence of these two projects at Venice 2026 continues a long tradition of films created in collaboration with The Mill being recognised by the Festival.

In recent years, projects involving The Mill teams have been selected at Venice, including:

• 2025 - Grand Ciel, directed by Akihiro Hata, selected for the Orizzonti section. The Mill Film & Series teams created the visual effects, with Hugues Namur as VFX Supervisor and Bastien Halter contributing as Environment Artist and Matte Painter.
• 2024 - Vermiglio, directed by Maura Delpero, selected for the Official Competition; Allégorie Citadine, the short film by Alice Rohrwacher and JR, presented Out of Competition; and Little Jaffna, directed by Lawrence Valin, selected as the closing film of International Critics’ Week.
• 2023 - Dogman, directed by Luc Besson, selected in Competition; La Bête, directed by Bertrand Bonello, selected in Competition; The Killer, directed by David Fincher; Io Capitano, directed by Matteo Garrone; Ferrari, directed by Michael Mann; and Making-Of, directed by Cédric Kahn, presented Out of Competition.
• 2022 - Chiara, directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli, selected in Competition; and Pour la France, directed by Rachid Hami, selected in Orizzonti; Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, selected in Competition.

From visual effects and post-production to creative problem-solving, these collaborations reflect the talent and dedication of the artists working behind some of today’s most compelling cinematic experiences.

As Venice 2026 celebrates the future of filmmaking while honouring its rich heritage, The Mill is proud to see its collaborative work represented among the international films shaping contemporary cinema.