2017 Venice Film Fest opens with Payne's ‘Downsizing'

Jury members pose for photographers during the opening ceremony of the 74th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, August 30, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

The world premiere of "Downsizing" by American director Alexander Payne has opened the 2017 Venice Film Festival.

Starring Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig, the satirical film tells of a surprising "near future" in which Norwegian scientists discover how to shrink people to five inches tall in order to make life on the planet more sustainable, and the human community less resource-consuming.

Actor Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso arrive on the red carpet of the premiere of the film "Downsizing" which opens the 74th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, August 30, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

Damon and Wiig, who play the roles of a middle-class couple, decide to go through this irreversible path, and to begin a new life with the first community for small people in New Mexico.

Besides Payne's new feature, the opening day was marked by a premiere screening of "Nico, 1988" by Italian director Susanna Nicchiarelli, competing in the Horizons section devoted to new cinema trends.

The biographical movie focuses on the last years of German musician and actress Christa Paffgen -- best known by her artistic nickname "Nico" -- singer in the Velvet Underground band and one of Andy Warhol's muses.

Presiding over the 2017 jury of the main competition is Hollywood actress Annette Bening who spoke about her love of cinema.

"Along with my fellow jury members we bring all of our passion and enthusiasm and hopefully some knowledge but most importantly our deep love of cinema to every film that we see. I'm deeply honored to be president of the jury," said Bening.

Actress and jury president Annette Bening arrives on the red carpet of the opening ceremony of the 74th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, August 30, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

The Venice Film Festival runs through September 9 when the winner of this year's Golden Lion award will be announced.

Overall, this 74th edition of the Venice Film Festival will feature 21 world premieres contending for the Golden Lion.

China is represented in the main competition by director Vivian Qu's “Jia Nian Hua,” or “Angels Wear White,” which is a China-France co-production starring Wen Qi, Zhou Meijun and Shi Ke, among others.