In The Hand of Dante: Julian Schnabel and Oscar Isaac Bring Tosches’ Vision to Life in Venice

At the Venice Film Festival, acclaimed filmmaker Julian Schnabel presented his long-awaited project, In The Hand of Dante, adapted from Nick Tosches’ novel. The drama, led by Oscar Isaac, also features Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Martin Scorsese, Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, Louis Cancelmi, and Franco Nero.

Controversy and Schnabel’s Response

The press conference gained extra attention after calls by the Venice4Palestine group to boycott stars Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler due to their perceived support of Israel. Schnabel dismissed the boycott, saying: “There’s no reason to boycott artists. I selected those actors for their merits, and they did an extraordinary job in the film.” He declined to comment further on Gaza, urging the focus to remain on the film itself.

The Story of In The Hand of Dante

The movie blends timelines across 700 years, intertwining the life of author Nick Tosches with that of Dante Alighieri. Following the sudden death of his daughter, Tosches is drawn into a violent quest by a mafia don to authenticate a manuscript believed to be Dante’s original Divine Comedy. Alongside an assassin named Louie, Tosches embarks on a dark journey of art, faith, and mortality.

Isaac described the role as a daring challenge: “It was about chasing the impossible dream. Something about moving towards the mysterious. Julian is a visionary—unlike anyone else in film today.” He spoke of preparing with Tosches’ writings, poetry, and multiple translations of The Divine Comedy, calling the process both Talmudic and transformative.

Schnabel’s Artistic Vision

Schnabel described the film as a “tragic comedy”, noting: “Life is funny, tragic, quite mad. But all art brings you into its present. There is no past or future—only the eternal present.” Drawing parallels between painting and cinema, he emphasized art’s power to transcend death and preserve meaning.

The director reflected emotionally on his artistic journey: “When Isaiah says to Dante, ‘you’ve become the poem’—that’s all an artist could wish for. I told Lou Reed when he died, ‘You’ve become the poem.’ That’s the difference between life and art. Life ends, but art is optimistic; it endures.”

A Cinematic Testament

With its blend of literary history, philosophical reflections, and contemporary themes, In The Hand of Dante exemplifies Schnabel’s lifelong pursuit of fusing art and film. Supported by a star-studded cast and rooted in Tosches’ work, the film is positioned as both intellectually ambitious and emotionally charged.