Brad Pitt described how much he enjoys fatherhood when he arrived at the Venice Film Festival with partner Angelina Jolie last night.

"It's the most fun I've ever had and also the biggest pain in the ass I've ever experienced," he said.

"I love it and can't recommend it any more highly - although sleep is non-existent."

The couple have a daughter Shiloh, who was born last year, but Pitt is also father to their adopted children Maddox, Zahara and Pax Thien.

Jolie adopted Maddox from Cambodia five years ago, followed by Zahara from Ethiopia in 2005 and Pax Thien from Vietnam earlier this year.

There have been rumours in recent months that the Hollywood couple's relationship was in trouble, but they happily posed hand in hand last night at the world premiere of Pitt's new Western, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford.

Pitt and Jolie laughed and joked with one another as they signed autographs for the crowd.

Hundreds of fans lined the street outside the Palazzo del Cinema to greet the couple, who are the biggest draw of the festival so far.

Jolie, 32, wore a black lace evening gown and pearls while Pitt, 43, looked debonair in a white tuxedo jacket.

In his latest film, Pitt plays the famous 19th century outlaw Jesse James while Ben Affleck's younger brother, Casey, plays fellow gang member Robert Ford.

The Ocean's Thirteen star also produced the film and said he was incredibly proud of it.

"This is a very complex and complicated film that isn't part of the current zeitgeist of film-making - it's more a throwback to some of the great films of the 70s," he said.

"I think it's a delicious film, it sits and breathes like a good wine, and it's ultimately my favourite kind of film-making."

The movie is one of the favourites to win the Golden Lion prize for best film but faces competition from the likes of Sleuth, starring Sir Michael Caine and Jude Law, and Atonement, starring Keira Knightley.

The western has divided critics in Venice.

Industry bible Variety hailed it as "a ravishing, magisterial, poetic epic". But the Hollywood Reporter predicted the film may flop, saying "word of mouth may kill the movie faster than Robert Ford killed Jesse James".

Asked about the movie, Jolie said: "I'm biased but I've seen the film and I do think it's wonderful."

Earlier in the day, Pitt had a scare when a besotted female fan made a lunge for him as he was about to board his water taxi. She was dragged off and marched away by security guards.

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