George Clooney’s “The Ides of March”, about the U.S. presidential race set in the near future, will be the opening film at the 2011 Venice film festival, organisers announced on Wednesday.The Hollywood star is a regular on the red carpet at the world’s oldest film festival, and his star power, along with other cast members Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Evan Rachel Wood, should ensure a glitzy launch.Clooney wrote and directed The Ides of March, which is based on Beau Willimon’s play “Farragut North”.He also enjoyed critical acclaim, and won two Oscar nominations, for directing and writing “Good Night, and Good Luck” in 2005.The Ides of March tells the story of a young, idealistic press secretary (Gosling) who works for presidential candidate Governor Mike Morris (Clooney), and despite himself becomes dangerously involved in a web of deceit and corruption.The Venice film festival this year runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10.