Venice Film Festival

Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata in 1932, the Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the world. The festival takes place every year in late August or early September in Venice, Italy with screenings at the historic Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi.

One of the world's most prestigious film festivals, the Venice Film Festival directly precedes both the Toronto International Film Festival and The New York Film Festival and is part of the Venice Biennale. Each year, the Venice Film Festival awards the Golden Lion to the best film screened at the festival, and the Volpi Cup to the best actor and actress.

History of the Venice Film Festival

The first Esposizione d'Arte Cinematografica came into being in 1932 as part of the 18th Venice Biennale under the auspices of Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata, President of the Biennale, the sculptor Antonio Maraini, General Secretary, and Luciano De Feo, General Secretary of the International Institute for Educational Cinema, based in Rome.

The 1932 Festival was held on the terrace of the Hotel Excelsior on the Venice Lido, and while at that stage it was not a competitive event, it included foremost films which became classics in the history of cinema such as It Happened One Night by Frank Capra, Grand Hotel and A nous la liberte by René Clair.

Because of World War II, few countries participated in the 1940, 1941 and 1942 festivals. During the Fifties, the festival experienced a period of international expansion, with the affirmation of new types of film (Japanese, Indian), and the arrival of leading directors and film stars.

Japanese cinema has become well-known in the West mostly thanks to the Golden Lion awarded to Akira Kurosawa's Rashômon in 1951; Indian Cinema also received serious attention after Golden Lion was award to Satyajit Ray's Aparajito in 1957.

The year 1968 produced a dramatic fracture with the past with the cessation of awards. In 1980, the Golden Lions were reinstated, with the top award going to both Louis Malle's Atlantic Cityand John Cassavetes's Gloria.

Venice Film Festival Awards

• Golden Lion: the Golden Lion is the festival's principal award for best film.
  
• Silver Lion: the Silver Lions are presented in as a "runners-up" prize to the Golden Lion.
  
• Special Jury Prize: a Special Jury Prize is awarded to one or two films in most years.
  
• Volpi Cups: the Volpi Cups are awarded to actors.
  
• Golden Osellas: the Golden Osellas are awarded to directors, cinematographers, screenwriters, composers, and for outstanding technical contributions.