The 82nd Venice International Film Festival concluded with a resounding celebration of global cinema, as the jury, presided over by filmmaker Alexander Payne, bestowed top honours on Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother. The American director, whose work has long been synonymous with a cool, poetic sensibility, captured the Golden Lion for Best Film, a recognition that affirms his enduring place in contemporary cinema.
Main Competition Highlights
- The Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize went to Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania for The Voice of Hind Rajab, a moving political drama co-produced with France.
- The Silver Lion for Best Director was awarded to Benny Safdie for his visceral sports biopic The Smashing Machine.
- Acting prizes went to two acclaimed performers from different continents: Xin Zhilei earned the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress for her performance in Cai Shangjun’s Ri Gua Zhong Tian (The Sun Rises on Us All), while Italian screen legend Toni Servillo won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor for Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia.
- The Best Screenplay Award honored Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand for the French drama À Pied d’Œuvre (At Work).
- Gianfranco Rosi’s Sotto le Nuvole (Below the Clouds) earned the Special Jury Prize, confirming his reputation as one of Italy’s foremost documentary auteurs.
- Rising star Luna Wedler received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor/Actress for her role in Ildikó Enyedi’s Silent Friend.
Orizzonti Section
The Orizzonti jury, led by Julia Ducournau, recognized bold new cinematic voices:
- Best Film went to En el Camino (On the Road) by David Pablos (Mexico).
- Best Director was awarded to Anuparna Roy for Songs of Forgotten Trees (India).
- Japan’s Akio Fujimoto received the Special Jury Prize for Harà Watan (Lost Land).
- Performance awards honored Benedetta Porcaroli (Il Rapimento di Arabella) and Giacomo Covi (Un Anno di Scuola).
- The Screenplay Prize went to Ana Cristina Barragán for Hiedra (The Ivy) (Ecuador).
- Swedish filmmaker Lovisa Sirén took home Best Short Film for Utan Kelly (Without Kelly).
Debuts and Independent Sections
The Lion of the Future – “Luigi De Laurentiis” Award for a Debut Film was given to Short Summer by Nastia Korkia, a co-production between Germany, France, and Serbia.
At Giornate degli Autori, the Armani Beauty Audience Award went to Calle Málaga by Moroccan director Maryam Touzani.
Venice Classics and Immersive
- The Best Documentary on Cinema prize went to Mata Hari by Joe Beshenkovsky and James A. Smith.
- The Best Restored Film award celebrated Iranian master Bahram Beyzaie’s 1985 work Bashu, the Little Stranger.
- In the rapidly expanding Venice Immersive section, The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up by Singing Chen won the Grand Prize, while Less than 5gr of Saffron and A Long Goodbye received jury and achievement awards respectively.
Lifetime Honors
The festival also shone a spotlight on cinematic legends:
- The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Kim Novak and Werner Herzog.
- Julian Schnabel received the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award 2025.
- Gus Van Sant was honored with the Campari Passion for Film Award 2025.
The 82nd Venice Film Festival affirmed the Lido’s place as a global crossroads of cinema, bringing together established masters and emerging voices. From Jarmusch’s Golden Lion to the daring works of Orizzonti, this year’s edition celebrated both the timeless and the new—cementing Venice’s legacy as the most visionary of the film festivals.
Jim Jarmusch at the Winners’ Photocall, Venice 82. (Photo: Andrea Avezzù / La Biennale di Venezia – ASAC)