Venice Film Festival Winners
Venice Film Festival concludes its 83rd edition with major awards ceremony in Italy.
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The competition jury also included Kaouther Ben Hania, Shahrbanoo Sadat, Xavier Giannoli, Daniel Blumberg and Francesco Casetti, alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal and Johnnie To.
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“NAZA” features testimony from 24 Israeli military officers who describe systems and protocols they allege Israel uses to target and kill civilians in Gaza; the film’s title refers to an Israeli military acronym for civilian casualties.
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“NAZA” received a record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere, helping make it one of the festival’s leading award-season contenders.
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“Possible Love” was selected by South Korea as its entry for the Best International Feature race, with reviews particularly praising its ensemble cast, including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong.
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In addition to the Golden Lion, the ceremony was scheduled to award prizes in the Orizzonti sidebar, Venice Classics and Immersive competition, as well as the Lion of the Future — Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a debut film.
The 83rd Venice Film Festival wrapped up on September 12 with Maggie Gyllenhaal presiding over the awards ceremony. IJR reports that Alina Șerban's "I Matter" won the Armani Beauty Audience Award, with producer Ada Solomon joining her at the photo call. The festival's competition jury included directors Lee Chang-dong and Johnnie To alongside Gyllenhaal.
Several films emerged as major contenders heading into awards season. Xinhua News noted that the closing ceremony featured international filmmakers, while the festival awarded prizes across multiple competition categories including the prestigious Golden Lion, Orizzonti sidebar, Venice Classics, and the Lion of the Future award for debut films.
Gaza Documentary Breaks Records With Standing Ovation
The documentary "NAZA" emerged as one of Venice's most talked-about films. The film features testimony from 24 Israeli military officers describing alleged systems and protocols used to target civilians in Gaza. Its title refers to an Israeli military acronym for civilian casualties.
The film's premiere sparked a historic moment — it received a record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation at Venice. This response helped establish it as a leading contender for major film festival awards in the coming months.
South Korean Drama Selected for Oscar Race
Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love" was chosen by South Korea as its official entry for the Best International Feature Oscar category. The ensemble drama features actors Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong in leading roles.
Reviews have highlighted the film's ensemble cast performances as a particular strength. With South Korea's backing for the international feature race, "Possible Love" now enters the competitive awards season with significant momentum.
Festival Celebrates Directors Across Multiple Categories
Beyond the main Golden Lion prize, the Venice festival distributed awards across several distinct competitions. Xinhua News reported that ceremonies honored films in the Orizzonti sidebar, Venice Classics program, and the Immersive competition category.
The Lion of the Future — Luigi De Laurentiis Award recognizes and celebrates debut films from first-time directors. This special award highlights the festival's commitment to nurturing emerging filmmaking talent from around the world.
Competition Jury Brings Global Cinema Expertise
The festival's eight-member jury was led by U.S. actress and director Maggie Gyllenhaal. Alongside her served directors Lee Chang-dong of South Korea and Johnnie To of Hong Kong, bringing diverse perspectives to the festival's judging.
The complete jury also included directors Kaouther Ben Hania, Shahrbanoo Sadat, Xavier Giannoli, plus Daniel Blumberg and Francesco Casetti. Their combined expertise spans multiple continents and filmmaking traditions, shaping the festival's final selections.
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