The 79th Venice International Film Festival opened on Wednesday, with a Japanese film in the running for the top Golden Lion award.

The feature film "Love Life" is one of the nominees in the Competition category. It was directed by Fukada Koji, an up-and-comer who has earned praise at film festivals both in Japan and abroad.

Nominees in the Orizzonti category, which focuses on debut films, young talents and independent features, include "Aru Otoko," or "A Man," based on a novel by the Japanese writer Hirano Keiichiro.

The festival's organizers have set aside a day to show solidarity with Ukraine, where filmmaking has become difficult because of the Russian invasion. Ukrainian directors and actors have been invited to the event.

This year's festival will be restriction-free for the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prizewinners will be announced on September 10.