Basinger, Fiennes Compete in Venice

Kim Basinger, Ralph Fiennes, and Mickey Rourke will compete for the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, the world's oldest, which runs from August 27 to September 6 this year.

Ms. Basinger will co-star with Charlize Theron in Guillermo Arriaga's "The Burning Plain," organizers said at a Rome press conference as they listed the 21 films vying for the Golden Lion award. Mr. Rourke stars in Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," and Mr. Fiennes in Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker."

The festival will open with the world premiere of Joel and Ethan Coen's "Burn After Reading," starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and John Malkovich, about two gym employees who find a disc with the memoirs of a CIA agent. Their film is not in competition.