The final preparations are taking place on the Venice Lido for the opening of this year's Venice Film Festival. Workers are busy putting on the finishing touches to the site, which has had a recent face lift, with a brand new screening room and lawn area to accommodate festival goers.

Damien Chazelle's 'La La Land' to open festvial

The 73rd edition of the festival will include a stylish thriller from Tom Ford, a sci-fi drama with Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams and a star turn from Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The world's oldest film festival boasts a 20-strong competition line up that includes fashion designer Ford's "Nocturnal Animals", Damien Chazelle's "La La Land" with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and Emir Kusturica's fantasy "On the Milky Road". The event begins August 31st and runs through until September 10th.