Venice debut for Anderson's Master (From South Wales Guardian)

Venice debut for Anderson's Master

8:51am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master has been added to the line-up of the Venice Film Festival.

The drama, which is loosely based on the the life of Scientology founder and leader L Ron Hubbard, will be the 18th film competing for the coveted Golden Lion award when it premieres on September 1.

Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as Lancaster Dodd, the creator - referred to as The Master - of a cult-like religious movement called The Cause, with Joaquin Phoenix as his right-hand man.

The film has already caused some controversy as it is not expected to portray Scientology in a good light. Scientologist Tom Cruise, who worked with Anderson on his film Magnolia, is reported to have issues with the film after seeing a preview screening.

The There Will Be Blood filmmaker is the 12th director in competition screening a film for the first time in Venice.

The festival announced the remaining 17 competing films last month, including another four by American directors. By recent tradition, the title of the final "secret film" was delayed.

The 69th Biennale opens on August 29 with Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which shows out of competition.

It stars British actor Riz Ahmed as a young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street, who finds himself caught in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family's homeland.