Venice film fest kicks off today

Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley are among those expected to hit the red carpet at this year's Venice Film Festival, which kicks off today. Some 15 films from the U.S. and seven from the U.K. are among the 57 features screening at the fest, which opens with Atonement, starring Knightley. Among the U.S. films in competition: Michael Clayton starring George Clooney, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford with Pitt, and Todd Haynes's I'm Not There, the Bob Dylan biopic where Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett all take turns playing the folk rocker at different stages of his life. Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited starring Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody is also on the list. Wilson was originally expected to appear at the film's Venice premiere on September 3.