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Our proximity to Venice allows us to experience up close the extraordinary traditions that animate the city throughout the year, including the unmissable and renowned Venice Film Festival. Part of the broader framework of the Venice Biennale, the Venice Film Festival holds the title of the oldest film festival in the world.
From its inception, it has been an international event of high caliber, evolving into one of the most anticipated events globally. Today, it stands as one of the most important cinematic events worldwide. Let’s explore some intriguing details about how the Venice Film Festival has evolved over time.
Initially known as the International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art, the first edition took place from August 6 to 21, 1932, as part of the Venice Biennale, which was in its 28th edition at the time. The festival, non-competitive in nature, was immediately acclaimed, marking the first international event of its kind in Italy. The venue was exclusively the terrace of the Hotel Excelsior at the Lido of Venice. There were no official votes or awards, but a public referendum was held instead. Despite its non-competitive nature, the first Venice Film Festival attracted over 25,000 spectators.
The second edition of the Venice Film Festival took place a few years later, from August 1 to 20, 1934. By then, the festival had transformed into a competitive event. However, there was no official jury; the winners were decided by the Biennale’s Presidency after consulting both experts and the public, in collaboration with the International Institute for Educational Cinematography. From 1935, the Venice Film Festival became an annual event. Due to its growing success and the increasing presence of international films and guests, from the following year, the Venice Film Festival awards were entrusted to a prestigious international jury.
In 1937, the new Palazzo del Cinema in Venice was inaugurated, which would become the exclusive venue for almost all future editions of the Venetian festival. However, from the late 1930s until the end of the war, the Venice Film Festival faced significant challenges, leading to the annulment of the editions from 1940 to 1942.
The Venice International Film Festival resumed in 1946, striving to regain the freedom lost during the years of fascist and Nazi influence. These were the years of great Italian neorealism films and the return of international directors and stars to Venice. Held in the magnificent Palazzo Ducale and attracting a record 90,000 visitors, the 1947 Venice Film Festival is considered one of the best editions of the festival.
The 1950s marked the international expansion of the Venice Film Festival: Japanese, Indian, and Eastern European films arrived at the Lido alongside renowned directors and stars. During this period, many new talents were discovered, and international recognition was awarded to emerging and established authors. Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni achieved definitive triumph.
The 1960s saw the full realization of the international project undertaken by the Venice Film Festival in the post-war years. However, the social and political issues of the late 1960s also affected the Venice Film Festival: from 1969 to 1979, films at the Venice Film Festival were not awarded, with only the first Career Golden Lions awarded to John Ford and Charlie Chaplin. Additionally, some editions of the festival (1972 and 1978) were canceled, while from 1974 to 1976, an ‘alternative’ program was presented at the Venice Film Festival.
The 1979 Venice Film Festival sought to restore the prestige and authority of previous decades. Alongside an increasing number of films, the Venice Film Festival featured important retrospectives and promoted sections dedicated to research and spectacular films.
The 1980s represent the golden age of the Venice Biennale Film Festival: in addition to marking the global recognition of the new German cinema style, young directors who later became major figures in cinema found the right visibility. The Venice Film Festival jury was composed solely of filmmakers, and the various sections of the festival became institutionalized. In 1987, the continuous search for new authors and unusual works brought Indian, Lebanese, Swiss, Norwegian, Korean, and Turkish films to the Venice Film Festival.
In the 1990s, various events and initiatives brought the Venice Biennale Film Festival back to the center of international attention, along with the return of Hollywood superstars.
Towards the end of the 1990s, the Venice Film Festival began to enhance its infrastructure with the construction of the PalaLido to accommodate an ever-growing audience.
Since 2001, the Venice Biennale Film Festival has encouraged new experimentation by creating the ‘Cinema of the Present’ section, which awards first works and ‘marginal’ and innovative films. A significant innovation of the 2002 Venice Film Festival was the ‘Against the Tide’ section, which presented films of particular vitality and originality, while from 2004, ‘Digital Cinema’ showcased new digital technologies.
In 2006, for the first time since the post-war period, the Venice Biennale’s Art Film Festival presented several world premieres.
The Venice Film Festival has exerted an undeniable influence on the history of cinema, launching new directors, artists, and niche sectors, and becoming a prestigious platform that rivals the American Oscars in visibility and glamour. Amid applause, controversy, and exclusive events, the Venice Film Festival continues to welcome the elite of world cinema under its spotlight.
At the Venice International Film Festival, there is one undisputed star: the Golden Lion, the most coveted statuette in the world of cinema. This prestigious award, presented annually by an international jury for Best Film and Lifetime Achievement, is named after the city’s symbol, the “Lion of Saint Mark.” Behind this trophy lies a rich history of tradition and craftsmanship, deeply rooted in the Venetian territory.
The Santi company of Venice, founded in 1850 and specializing in the creation of trophies and medals, is responsible for crafting the Golden Lion, engraving the winners’ names at the last minute. This historic company has always managed the production of the award, which only adopted its current name in 1954. Previously, it was known as the Lion of Saint Mark, and before that, as the Grand International Prize of Venice. The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was introduced in 1968.
Until 1942, the festival’s highest honor was the Mussolini Cup, a symbol of the political climate of the time, awarded to both the best Italian and foreign films. Over the years, the Golden Lion statuette has undergone an evolution: initially representing a classic Venetian lion, it is now stylized, ethereal, and almost fluid.
Beyond its priceless symbolic value, the Golden Lion also has material worth. The winner can decide to auction it off, making this trophy even more valuable.
Though many awards exist today, the Golden Lion remains the most significant and the one most sought after by cinema personalities.
– The winner of the 71st Venice Film Festival was the Swedish film A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence by Roy Andersson.
– The Best Film of the 72nd edition was the Chilean movie From Afar by Lorenzo Vigas.
– At the 73rd edition, The Woman Who Left by Lav Diaz became the first Filipino film to win the Golden Lion.
– Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water took the prize at the 74th edition.
– The winner of the 75th edition was Roma by Alfonso Cuarón.
– Directed by Todd Phillips, Joker claimed the Golden Lion at the 76th edition of the Festival.
– Nomadland, directed by Chloé Zhao, won the 77th edition.
– Happening by Audrey Diwan was named the Best Film of the 78th edition.
– The 79th edition’s winning film was the American documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed by Laura Poitras.
– At the 80th edition, Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos was the winning film.
Undoubtedly, the Venice Film Festival is a high-profile event, not only for cinema and culture but also for fashion and glamour. Every year, there is great anticipation for the arrival of world-famous stars at the Lido, where fans eagerly await to see the looks they’ve chosen and who they’ve brought along.
The excitement is even greater for the red carpet, where directors and actors showcase their best outfits, usually designed by the most prestigious fashion houses. It’s important to remember that the festival not only awards new films but also bestows the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, a recognition that everyone in the film industry hopes to receive one day.
The big stars are returning to the Lagoon. The list of Hollywood celebrities walking the red carpet at the 81st Venice Film Festival is endless!
The festival opens with the much-anticipated Beetlejuice 2 by Tim Burton and continues with another highly impactful sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux by Todd Phillips. Also gracing the big screen are Pedro Almodóvar‘s return with The Room Next Door and Luca Guadagnino‘s second film of the year, Queer, following the success of Challengers.
A round of applause for the Lifetime Achievement Golden Lions, already awarded to two cinema legends: Sigourney Weaver and Peter Weir. But who will win the prestigious Golden Lion for Best Film? That will be decided by a jury chaired by the iconic French actress Isabelle Huppert.
The Lido has seen a parade of stars, starting with the grand return of Nicole Kidman, who has been absent from Venice for 25 years since Eyes Wide Shut in 1999, presenting Babygirl. Also highly anticipated is the cast of Beetlejuice 2, featuring Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton, Monica Bellucci, and Winona Ryder. Among the most awaited presences is Angelina Jolie, who plays Maria Callas in the biopic Maria, alongside Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, stars of Almodóvar’s new film.
The queen of pop, Lady Gaga, returns to the Lido for the sequel to Joker, after captivating the audience in 2018 with A Star Is Born. The male stars are also not to be missed: besides Joaquin Phoenix‘s Joker, Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult are expected with The Order, Adrien Brody in The Brutalist, Daniel Craig in Guadagnino’s Queer, and the famous duo Brad Pitt and George Clooney, starring in Wolfs.
Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
The Venice Film Festival is not just about screenings and performances but also an immersive experience of events, parties, and culture that transforms the Lido into a vibrant hub of social life. During the Festival, the city comes alive with a packed schedule of side events: from exhibitions to presentations, from themed evenings to parties that last until dawn.
Each evening, directors and actors enrich the late-night screenings in the Sala Grande with meetings, interviews, and presentations, while the Movie Village becomes the beating heart of information and networking, hosting press conferences, screenings, and an interactive Infopoint offering details on nightlife and events. For true enthusiasts, the Movie Garden in the Casino gardens is the perfect place to discover rare films, participate in discussions, and enjoy music and events.
The Hotel Excelsior, a historic symbol of the Festival, continues to be the preferred location for press conferences and gala parties, while the Lido beaches host themed evenings and exclusive parties. Actors, international DJs, and journalists gather not only at the Excelsior but also at the Quintessentially Terrace and the Lancia Café, where the magic of cinema blends with the energy of Venetian nights.
