Why is Al Pacino missing from the Venice Film Festival?

Father Joe, the latest movie by Al Pacino, has premiered at the Venice Film Festival.

However, he was not present there.

Instead, he sent a pre-recorded video message, where the noted actor explained, “I wish I was there with all of you in Venice, which is great and lovely."

"I’ve had films there. I’ve been there. I’ve experienced it,” he shared.

That said, Al Pacino gushed about Father Joe's writer-producer Luc Besson along with his co-star Kiefer Sutherland. “Have a good one. Best to you all.”

Moving on from the message, Sutherland, who played the character whose name is the movie's title and also served as producer, explained what attracted him to the project.

“I was a huge, huge fan,” the British-Canadian actor said, referring to his fellow producer Luc Besson.

“Luc had made films I wish I had been in. I thought, ‘That is the kind of movie I should be making.’ But he never hired me."

"Very fortunately, he thought of me for this idea," he added.

Besson, on the other hand, described his approach as a producer on Father Joe as hands-off.

“The good thing is I’m also a director. I don’t want to be bothered when I’m a director, so I tried not to bother,” he said.

“I’m on the back of Barthélémy. As long as he doesn’t have a problem, I’m not there," Besson added.

Father Joe in theatres on September 5.