The 82nd Venice International Film Festival was held from August 27 to September 6 and
hosted at Venice Lido, it was presided over by Alexander Payne as Jury President, with Emanuela Fanelli hosting the ceremonies.
In a turn of events that left many stunned, indie auteur Jim Jarmusch took home the Golden Lion for Father Mother Sister Brother. Kaouther Ben Hania received the Grand Jury Prize for. Kaouther Ben Hania received the Grand Jury Prize for her powerful work The Voice of Hind Rajab, while Benny Safdie earned the Silver Lion for Best Director for his gripping film The Smashing Machine. Gianfranco Rosi’s Below the Clouds took home the Special Jury Prize, and the Best Screenplay honor went to Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand for À pied d’œuvre (At Work). In the acting categories, Xin Zhilei won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for The Sun Rises on Us All, and Toni Servillo claimed Best Actor for La Grazia. Rising talent Luna Welder was recognized with the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor for her role in Silent Friend. The Armani Beauty Audience Award went to Calle Malaga by Maryam Touzani, while Nastia Korkia’s Short Summer received the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Debut Film, rounding out a festival rich in cinematic achievement.
David Pablos’ En el camino (On the Road) claimed the top honor for Best Film, anchoring a lineup of bold and evocative works. Anuparna Roy was awarded Best Director for Songs of Forgotten Trees, with a stirring invocation of solidarity, condemning the tragic events in Palestine she said Every child deserves peace, freedom and liberation and Palestine is no exception. she added “I don’t want any clap for this, “I might upset my country [by saying this], but it doesn’t matter to me anymore.” .while Akio Fujimoto’s Harà Watan (Lost Land) received the Special Jury Prize for its poignant storytelling. Benedetta Porcaroli won Best Actress for her compelling performance in Il Rapimento di Arabella (The Kidnapping of Arabella), and Giacomo Covi earned Best Actor for Un Anno di Scuola (A Year of School). Ana Cristina Barragán’s Hiedra (The Ivy) was recognized for Best Screenplay, she said about war in gaza and Palestina libre.”
Lovisa Sirén said her film is about “love and longing for a child” and is “a very personal story.” After receiving Best Short Film for Without Kelly. In the Venice Classics section, Mata Hari by Joe Beshenkovsky and James A. Smith was named Best Documentary on Cinema, while Bahram Beizai’s Bashu, the Little Stranger won Best Restored Film, celebrating its enduring cinematic legacy.
In the Venice Immersive section, the Grand Prize was awarded to The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up by Singing Chen,who defined about grief, memory, and love the unique culture of Taiwan. Négar Motevalymeidanshah received the Special Jury Prize for Less Than 5gr of Saffron, recognized for its poetic resonance and innovative use of the medium, he said: “I long for a time when no children of any land — not my land, Iran or anywhere — are forced into exile, may that day come soon.” The Achievement Prize went to A Long Goodbye, a collaborative creation by Kate Voet and Victor Maes, celebrated for its emotional nuance and technical artistry within the immersive format.