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Venice Film Festival

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The Venice International Film Festival is a premier global event celebrating the art of cinema.

65th venice film festival
65th venice film festival

It is recognized as the oldest film festival in the world. It is also one of the "Big Five" major international festivals. This elite group includes the festivals in Cannes and Berlin in Europe. It also includes the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada and the Sundance Film Festival in the United States. The festival aims to promote international cinema in all its forms. This includes art, entertainment, and the film industry through a spirit of dialogue.

74 Venice Film Festival - 2 September 2017 (36586985330)
74 Venice Film Festival - 2 September 2017 (36586985330)

The festival operates through several organized sections to showcase different types of filmmaking. The Official Selection is the main event of the festival. Within this, the "In Competition" section features about 21 films vying for the Golden Lion prize. The "Out of Competition" section presents up to 18 important works that do not compete for the main prize. The "Orizzonti" section highlights the latest trends from young talents. There is also "Venice Classics," which features restored classic films. For experimental works, the "Sconfini" section shows up to 10 works, including TV series and cross-media productions.

Valeria Golino, Venice 2015 (cropped)
Valeria Golino, Venice 2015 (cropped)

Technology also plays a major role in the modern festival structure. Venice was the first of the "Big Five" festivals to introduce virtual reality to its program. This led to the creation of the "Venice Immersive" section. This section can present up to 30 works, both in and out of competition. It has become a vital platform for emerging digital media. Additionally, the festival hosts parallel sections like International Critics' Week. This section screens no more than 8 debut films. The "Giornate degli Autori" section promotes up to 12 films.

Abraham Attah (cropped)
Abraham Attah (cropped)

The history of the festival began in August 1932.

65th venice film festival
65th venice film festival

It was founded by Giuseppe Volpi, Luciano de Feo, and Antonio Maraini. The very first screening took place on August 6, 1932. It was held on the terrace of the Excelsior Palace Hotel. Nine countries participated in this inaugural event. They watched the American film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. At that time, there were no official awards. Instead, the audience held a referendum to vote for their favorites. They chose the funniest film and the most moving film.

65th venice film festival
65th venice film festival

As the festival grew, it became more formal and permanent. In 1934, it was declared an annual event. Participation increased from nine countries to seventeen. That year, the festival gave its first official awards. These included the Mussolini Cup for Best Italian Film and the Mussolini Cup for Best Foreign Film. The festival found a permanent home in 1937. The Palazzo del Cinema was built on the island of the Lido. This historic building remains the site for most festivals today.

65th venice film festival
65th venice film festival

The mid-20th century brought both challenges and massive success. During the 1940s, the festival faced difficulties due to the war. In 1940, it was even renamed the Italian-German Film Festival. The festival was eventually suspended in 1942. However, it resumed full strength in 1946. In 1947, the festival was held in the courtyard of the Doge's Palace.

Mostra di Venezia al Palazzo Ducale 1947
Mostra di Venezia al Palazzo Ducale 1947

This edition was a record-breaking success. It hosted 90,000 participants.

Aldo Moro, Pier Paolo Pasolini - Venezia 1964
Aldo Moro, Pier Paolo Pasolini - Venezia 1964

In more recent decades, the festival has become a critical launchpad for major awards. It has hosted the world premieres of many Academy Award-winning films. Notable examples include Gravity, Joker, and Dune.

Todd Philips Venezia 2019
Todd Philips Venezia 2019

Even streaming services have seen success here. In 2018, the film Roma became the first Netflix production to win at a major festival. The festival is currently led by Director Alberto Barbera.

Abraham Attah (cropped)
Abraham Attah (cropped)

He has managed the festival's prestige and modern growth for many years. The president of the Venice Biennale represents the festival to the public. The current president is Pietrangelo Buttafuoco.

Valeria Golino, Venice 2015 (cropped)
Valeria Golino, Venice 2015 (cropped)
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🖼️ Images & Media (8)
File:Mostra di Venezia al Palazzo Ducale 1947.jpg
Mostra di Venezia al Palazzo Ducale 1947.jpg
File:Aldo Moro, Pier Paolo Pasolini - Venezia 1964.jpg
Aldo Moro, Pier Paolo Pasolini - Venezia 1964.jpg
File:Todd Philips Venezia 2019.jpg
Todd Philips Venezia 2019.jpg
File:Valeria Golino, Venice 2015 (cropped).jpg
Valeria Golino, Venice 2015 (cropped).jpg
File:Abraham Attah (cropped).jpg
Abraham Attah (cropped).jpg
File:Приз Лев Будущего. Венецианский кинофестиваль.jpg
Приз Лев Будущего. Венецианский кинофестиваль.jpg
File:65th venice film festival.jpg
65th venice film festival.jpg
File:74 Venice Film Festival - 2 September 2017 (36586985330).jpg
74 Venice Film Festival - 2 September...
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