"La La Land" returned to the Venice Film Festival a decade after its debut, marking a full-circle moment for Damien Chazell's musical romance that launched one of cinema's most enduring modern soundtracks. The September 5 event at the 83rd edition of La Biennale di Venezia featured "La La Land in Concert," a live-to-film performance that paired the movie's theatrical screening with a symphony orchestra performing Justin Hurwitz's Oscar-winning score in real time. Cartier presented the event.
The concert screening represents a growing trend in how studios and festivals celebrate legacy titles. Rather than a standard re-release, this format lets audiences experience both the film and its music as integrated art, with conductor Hurwitz leading the orchestra through moments that defined the 2016 phenomenon. The composer's work on "La La Land" earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Score, establishing him as a major voice in contemporary film music.
Hurwitz's involvement elevates this beyond a nostalgia play. Since "La La Land," he has scored major studio films including "First Man" and work on Marvel projects, but his fingerprints remain most visible on the Chazell musical that made him famous. The 10th anniversary concert allows both Hurwitz and audiences to revisit the emotional architecture of a film that, despite mixed critical reception after its initial release, maintains passionate admirers who embraced its old-Hollywood homage and contemporary LA setting.
Venice's decision to host this event holds weight. The festival functions as a launching pad for prestige cinema, and bringing back "La La Land" signals institutional recognition of the film's place in the cultural conversation. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone's performances, the film's production design, and its 14 Oscar nominations created a cultural moment that extended beyond cinema into music and pop culture discourse. The score, in particular, generated streaming plays and concert interest that few film scores achieve.
The concert-film format has gained traction among festivals and studios seeking new revenue streams and ways to deepen audience engagement with existing properties. Symphonies screening films with live orchestration have proven successful at attracting both die-hard fans and casual viewers, particularly when a composer like Hurwitz conducts. Venice's prestige platform gives this event legitimacy beyond typical re-release territory.
For Chazell, whose recent work includes "Babylon" and his current projects, the Venice moment reconnects him to the film that cemented his reputation as a major directorial voice. Though "La La Land" faced backlash over awards season for perceived oversights regarding films centered on racial narratives, it retained its influence on how contemporary Hollywood approaches the musical genre.
The Cartier sponsorship situates the event within luxury brand territory, aligning the film's aspirational aesthetic with high-end commerce. This partnership model reflects how legacy content reaches audiences through branded experiences rather than traditional theatrical exhibition alone.
Festival programming choices like this reveal industry appetite for celebrating and re-monetizing successful properties while audiences show genuine interest in experiencing classic scores with orchestral accompaniment. Hurwitz conducting "La La Land" at Venice creates a moment that honors both the film's legacy and the composer's role in its endurance.