Venice Film Festival Crowns Winners, Spotlighting Global Cinema and Urgent Storytelling
Venice, Italy - The 82nd Venice International Film Festival concluded Saturday, celebrating a diverse range of cinematic achievements and reaffirming Venice’s position as a pivotal event in world cinema. The festival,known for its blend of glamour,artistic reflection,and past meaning,awarded top honors to films addressing both intimate human stories and pressing global issues.
This year’s festival saw a particularly poignant moment as the Grand Prix winner addressed the ongoing crisis in Gaza,highlighting the power of cinema to amplify silenced voices.the festival’s awards underscored a commitment to both established auteurs and emerging talent, recognizing excellence in acting, directing, screenwriting, and overall filmmaking.
Here is a complete list of the winners:
Award of Spectators Armani Beauty: Malaga street by Maryam Touzani
Venice Award Opera Primo Aurelio De Laurentis: Short Summer by Nast the Cap
Best Emerging Actress Marcello Mastroianni: Moon Wedler for Silent Friend
Volpi Cup Best Actress: Xin Zhilei for The Sun Rises on us all
Volpi Cup Best Actor: Toni Servillo for Grace
Best Screenplay: Workforce by Valerie Donzels
Special Jury Prize: Under the Clouds by Gianfranco Rosi
Silver Lion Best Direction: Benny Safdie for The Smashing Machine
Jury Grand Prix: The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kouther Ben Hania.Ben Hania,accepting the award,stated,”They are looking for the cries of the people to whom nobody has answered. We believe in the power of cinema and what brought us here this evening and gives us the courage to tell stories that otherwise should be buried. The cinema will not bring us back to that which has been stolen but cinema can make Hind Rajab’s voice resonate which is the story of an entire people who are suffering a genocide by the Israeli regime. This film is the story of an emergency, Hind’s mother and little brother are still in danger ther in Gaza, like other families and children.”
Leone d’Oro Best Film: Father Mother Sister Brother by Jim Jarmusch. Jarmusch, upon receiving the award, remarked, “What motivates us is not the competition but this is a prize that I did not expect and I would like to thank the jurors and the Venice Film Festival which is an critically important moment to celebrate the diversity of cinema. I arrived in Venice a week ago and I thought of a mysterious and fantastic city, I am excited and I want to accept this prize for all those who have worked on this film. Art can be based on empathy.”
