Japan also makes an appearance in L'Inju: la Bete dans l'Ombre, the latest work from French film-maker Barbet Schroeder.
BBC: Venice gala starts awards season
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Other strong contenders include US director Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke, and French film-maker Barbet Schroeder's thriller L'Inju: la Bete dans l'Ombre, or The Beast in the Shadows.