Rising Italian director Paolo Strippoli is heading to the Lido with his third feature film, “L’Estranea”, which has been officially selected to premiere in the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The festival will mark the world premiere of the dark psychological thriller, placing him in contention for the prestigious Golden Lion.

“L’Estranea“

The story kicks off on a stormy night when Anna, played by Jasmine Trinca, unexpectedly arrives at the Roman apartment of her adult daughter, Alice, portrayed by Romana Maggiora Vergano. Unable to carry the burden any longer, Anna confesses a dark truth hidden for over two decades: to save Alice’s life following a fatal childhood accident, she struck an unnatural bargain with a mysterious woman known only as “L’Estranea” (The Stranger), played by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. Instead of mending their fractured bond, the revelation shatters Alice’s reality, forcing her to confront a terrifying realization—her existence is tied to a dark pact that demands an unbearable price to undo. The cast also includes Adriano Giannini, Marina Limosani, and Raffaele Braia.

Written and directed by Strippoli alongside co-writer Salvatore De Chirico, “L’Estranea” explores the psychological limits of maternal love, destiny, and moral compromise. Strippoli has described the film as a visceral family saga tracking the downfall of a prominent business family in Bari, pitching it conceptually as “Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks meets Faust“. Filmed on location across Rome and Bari, the project features cinematography by Cristiano Di Nicola, editing by Federico Palmerini, and an original score by Robin Coudert.

“L’Estranea” is an international co-production between Italy, France, and Belgium, produced by Propaganda Italia with Rai Cinema and Dinamo Film alongside Kazak Productions and Tarantula. Following its world premiere on the Lido, distributor 01 Distribution is scheduled to release the film in Italian theaters on October 8, 2026.

At Venice, Strippoli’s visceral thriller will compete alongside a formidable global lineup, including Werner Herzog’s “Bucking Fastard”, Florian Zeller’s “Bunker”, Casey Affleck’s “Company”, Ali Asgari’s “Kami nour”, Andrea Pallaoro’s “The Echo Chamber”, and Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine”.

From Corato to Venice

Born in Corato, Italy, Strippoli turned 33 on January 1, 2026. The 83rd Venice International Film Festival will run from September 2-12, 2026 in Venice, Italy.

The country’s rich diversity shines brightest when comparing its quiet, agricultural heartlands to its iconic coastal treasures. Corato and Venice present two captivating, yet vastly different, sides of Italian life.

Corato offers an authentic, slow-paced Southern Italian experience. Surrounded by rolling olive groves, this sun-drenched town is renowned for producing world-class extra virgin olive oil, particularly from the prized Coratina olive. Its historic center features limestone streets, Romanesque architecture, and vibrant local plazas where community life thrives far away from mass tourism.

By contrast, Venice is a world-famous floating masterpiece built across 118 small islands. Connected by winding canals and footbridges, the city replaces roads with waterways traversed by gondolas and vaporettos. Landmarks like Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Grand Canal highlight centuries of Byzantine and Gothic architectural brilliance.