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The 76th Venice festival opened on August 28 with the premier of Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's "The Truth", AFP reported.

The festival's blockbuster centerpiece is likely to be the new DC Comics "The Joker" starring Joaquin Phoenix, which traces the origins of Batman's nemesis. Trailers for the film have already been viewed more than 80 million times.

Among the other potential Oscar hopefuls at the festival, U.S. director Steven Soderbergh's take on the Panama Papers investigation, "The Laundromat," is set to premier, while Brad Pitt plays an astronaut in James Gray's highly anticipated sci-fi drama "Ad Astra."

Meanwhile, the celebration of cinema is battling scandal over the inclusion of director Roman Polanski this year. Venice, facing criticism for having just two films directed by women out of 21 in the running for its top prize, has sparked further fury with the films it has chosen.

Campaigners have accused the festival of being out of touch in the era of #MeToo by including Polanski. It is also presenting a new film in a sidebar event from director Nate Parker, who was embroiled in a rape trial while still at university.

Festival director Alberto Barbera defended his decision to include Polanski, calling him "one of the last masters still active in European cinema", at an opening press conference for the festival dominated by the issue.

But Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel, president of the judging panel for this year's Golden Lion top award, said the inclusion of Polanski had made her "uncomfortable," adding she would not attend the official celebration for his film.