Clooney directs and acts in the political drama that features Ryan Gosling as a gung-ho press secretary swept into a sex scandal in a Democratic presidential primary. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti are rival campaign managers.

Clooney plays the presidential candidate, but tells reporters Wednesday he is not looking to be one in real life. He says “I have a really good job. I get to hang out with very seductive people. So I have no interest.”

“The Ides of March” is Clooney’s first directorial effort to headline the festival. It is vying for the Golden Lion, which will be awarded Sept. 10.