Venice opens as Meloni government nears longevity record

The Venice Film Festival opened this week with Danny Boyle's 'Ink,' a portrait of Rupert Murdoch and the rise of the British tabloid The Sun, while jury chair Maggie Gyllenhaal used the platform to address what she called a 'systemic problem' with sexism in the film industry, according to the Guardian and the New York Times.

The festival's opening comes at a moment of political significance for Italy. Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government is set on Friday to become the longest-lasting in the country's postwar history, The Local Italy reported, a record that belies considerable challenges ahead of elections next year.

For Lombardy's economy and cultural sector, the convergence is notable: Venice's film festival draws international attention to northern Italy's creative industries, while political stability in Rome matters to the Milan-based financial community that watches the bond spread and investor confidence.