Julia Roberts has made her first-ever appearance at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of her new film, After the Hunt. In the movie, directed by Luca Guadagnino, Roberts plays Alma Olsson, a Yale philosophy professor whose life unravels when a close colleague is accused of sexual assault by one of her top students. The drama explores the complex clash of loyalty, power, and generational divides within a liberal academic environment.
Ahead of the premiere, Roberts addressed questions about the film’s politically sensitive subject matter, pushing back on suggestions that its ambiguous handling of the assault allegation risked perpetuating cultural patterns that cast doubt on survivors. “We’re not making statements, we are portraying these people in these moments of time,” the Oscar-winning actress told reporters, defending the film’s nuanced approach.
Roberts expressed her relish for playing such a conflicted and compromised character, describing the role’s internal challenges as the “juicy stuff” that makes acting worthwhile. Director Luca Guadagnino echoed this sentiment, explaining that the film is about the collision of competing perspectives rather than delivering a clear moral verdict. He described it as a portrayal of ambition and the pursuit of power within the politically charged atmosphere of an elite institution.
After the Hunt is the latest in a prolific run of projects for Guadagnino, who presented Queer in Venice last year and Bones & All in 2022. The film is screening out of competition at the festival, meaning it is not in the running for the top Golden Lion award, which will be announced on September 6.
