The Venice Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday with Hollywood royalty heading to Italy's swanky movie showcase where a strong line up of star-packed films will vie with protests over Gaza for public attention.

Julia Roberts and George Clooney are some of the biggest names expected at the 82nd edition of the world's longest-running festival, with top directors from Kathryn Bigelow and Guillermo del Toro to Jim Jarmusch all due to arrive on the sandy Lido across the Venice lagoon.

Though festival director Alberto Barbera and jury president Alexander Payne ("Sideways") were keen to focus on the roster of movies making their world premieres in the next 11 days, world events dominated their day-one press conference.

Protesters held up a "Free Palestine" banner in front of the festival's mai

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