Hollywood icon Julia Roberts made her long-awaited Venice Film Festival debut on Friday evening with the premiere of After the Hunt, a gripping psychosexual drama directed by Luca Guadagnino. Set in the world of academia, Roberts plays a revered professor whose life is upended when her mentee, portrayed by Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), accuses a close colleague (Andrew Garfield) of misconduct.

The film boasts a stellar ensemble, including Guadagnino regulars Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny. Though Venice chief Alberto Barbera revealed that the movie was strong enough to compete for the festival’s top honors, Amazon MGM Studios requested it play out of competition. The studio is preparing for its Oct. 10 theatrical release across North America.

Guadagnino’s return to Venice adds to his impressive festival history, following past premieres such as Bones & All and last year’s Queer. With Roberts at the center of his latest project, After the Hunt has already generated significant buzz as one of the most anticipated highlights of the 82nd Venice Film Festival.