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Nanni Moretti’s It Will Happen Tonight earns nine-minute ovation at Venice world premiere
Nanni Moretti returned to Venice with his romantic drama It Will Happen Tonight, which received a nine-minute ovation at its world premiere — his first Venice premiere since 1989.
Published 5 September 2026
Nanni Moretti’s new film It Will Happen Tonight drew a warm reception at the Venice Film Festival, earning a nine-minute ovation at its world premiere on Saturday evening. The film, described as a romantic drama, marks a notable return for the Italian director to Venice: it is his first world premiere at the festival in 37 years. Moretti’s previous Venice world premiere was in 1989 with Palombella Rossa (Red Wood Pigeon).
Festival reaction
Nine-minute ovation greets world premiere
At its world premiere on Saturday evening, It Will Happen Tonight drew a nine-minute ovation at the Venice Film Festival. The sustained applause was the most widely reported detail from the screening, signalling a warm audience response. Beyond the length of the ovation, further specifics about the crowd’s reaction or immediate critical verdicts were not detailed in the account of the premiere.
The film
A romantic drama marks Moretti’s return
It Will Happen Tonight is a romantic drama that premiered in Venice. The screening marks Moretti's return to the festival with new work after a lengthy absence. The Venice presentation is the main fact reported about the film so far; the report did not include additional information such as casting, plot details, or distribution plans.
Career milestone
First Venice world premiere in 37 years
The Venice screening is significant for Moretti because it is his first world premiere at the festival since 1989. His last film to debut there was Palombella Rossa (Red Wood Pigeon) in 1989, making the interval between Venice premieres 37 years. Coverage of the new film’s debut highlighted that gap, underscoring the festival return as a noteworthy moment in the director’s long career.
What was reported
Coverage sticks to the premiere and the ovation
Reports of the Venice showing focus primarily on two concrete facts: the film’s classification as a romantic drama and the nine-minute ovation at its world premiere on Saturday evening. The available report does not cover reviews, industry reaction, awards speculation, or details about the film’s wider release, so those aspects remain unreported in the source material.
Unanswered questions
Next steps for the film remain unclear
The account did not specify what follows for It Will Happen Tonight beyond its Venice world premiere. The report does not include information on distribution, festival run, critical consensus, or commercial plans. For now, the immediate takeaway is the film’s warm reception at Venice and Moretti's symbolic return to the festival after nearly four decades.
Source
Deadline