If you believe that movie stars are unreachable Olympian divinities, it means that you’ve never visited Venice during the Venice Film Festival. In the city’s narrow streets, you may well – so to speak – rub shoulders with Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Venice Film Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious cinema events, has attracted film enthusiasts, artists and the curious-minded since it first came into being, in August 1932.
During the Venice Film Festival, Venice transforms into the setting for exclusive events, outdoor screenings and cultural gatherings with internationally-renowned directors and actors. The city is alive with lights and colours, and the canals are crowded with motorboats, celebs and paparazzi, offering an unforgettable experience.
Venice Film Festival: films that made history
The Film Festival takes place annually (despite also being part of the Venice Biennale, which occurs every two years) and is the oldest cinema event in existence.
Throughout the 80 past events, this festival has marked various milestones in the history of cinema. Some examples?
- Frankenstein by James Whale (1931). The expressionist work – one of the first in the horror genre – was presented in 1932 at the 1st Venice International Film Festival (during the 18th Biennale), attracting over 25,000 spectators and with record box office takings.
- Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa (1950). Made on an extremely low budget, Kurosawa’s revolutionary film was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 12th festival in 1951, and the following year went on to win an Academy Honorary Award for being the most outstanding foreign language film released in the United States.
- Beauty of the Day by Luis Buñuel (1967). The film starring Catherine Deneuve caused a huge scandal and suffered several censorship cuts in the Italian version, but was considered by critics a product of the highest value, winning the Golden Lion at the 28th festival.
- The State of Things by Wim Wenders (1982). Presented at the 39th Venice Film Festival, the work stood out for its critical reflection on the state of the film industry itself. Winning the Golden Lion established Wenders’s reputation in the international cinema scene of the 1980s.
- Brokeback Mountain by Ang Lee (2005). The Venice Film Festival has often embraced courageous stories and social themes. The film starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal opened a global discussion on sexuality and acceptance, receiving the Golden Lion and earning critical acclaim.
81st Venice International Film Festival (28 August – 7 September 2024) – everything you need to know
The 81st Venice International Film Festival, directed by Alberto Barbera, will take place at the Venice Lido from 28 August to 7 September 2024.
This year, one of the world’s most renowned actors, Isabelle Huppert, will chair the jury and present the Golden Lion prize for best film, as well as other official prizes. Actor Sigourney Weaver and director Peter Weir will be awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
The event will open with the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice directed by Tim Burton, with an
extraordinary cast featuring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega and William Dafoe. The film Nonostante, directed and starred in by Valerio Mastandrea, will open the Orizzonti section. September 5, directed by Tim Fehlbaum, will open the Orizzonti Extra section.
For fans of classic oldies, a selection entitled ‘Venice Classics’ proudly presents 18 of the
best-restored films created over the last year: the unmissable La Notte by Michelangelo Antonioni; Ecce Bombo by Nanni Moretti; and Travolti da un insolito destino nell’azzurro mare d’agosto (Swept Away) by Lina Wertmuller.
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