Venice International Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival, known in Italy as the Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica, is the oldest film festival in the world. It was first held in 1932 as part of La Biennale di Venezia and belongs to the “Big Five” alongside Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. Its top prize, the Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro), has often been an early marker for award-season success, and every year the red carpet on the Lido draws Hollywood stars, European auteurs and the world’s film press to Venice, Italy.Held annually from late August into early September, the festival takes place not in the historic lagoon city itself but on the Lido di Venezia, the long sandy barrier island facing the Adriatic. Screenings are centered on the 1930s rationalist Palazzo del Cinema, the neighboring Palazzo del Casinò and the Sala Darsena along the Lungomare Marconi seafront.
Venice Film Festival Highlights:
- Golden Lion Competition: The main Venezia competition premieres around twenty new feature films in the Sala Grande. Each evening, stars and directors walk the red carpet at gala screenings, often with world premieres of films that later become Oscar contenders.
- Orizzonti & Out of Competition: The Orizzonti (Horizons) section spotlights new directions and emerging filmmakers, while the Out of Competition slate brings big-name premieres, documentaries and restored classics from the Venice Classics program.
- Independent Parallel Sections: Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days) and the Settimana Internazionale della Critica (International Critics’ Week) run alongside the official selection with bold debuts and arthouse discoveries.
- Venice Immersive: A dedicated competition for virtual reality and immersive storytelling, staged on the small lagoon island of Lazzaretto Vecchio just off the Lido.
Tips for Visitors & Trip Planning:
- Tickets: The festival isn’t industry-only. La Biennale sells individual public tickets online a few weeks before opening, including seats for the evening gala screenings in the Sala Grande. Popular premieres sell out within minutes, so be ready when sales open, and expect gala-slot seats to cost noticeably more than daytime showings.
- Red Carpet Spotting: You can watch the arrivals free from the public barriers along the Lungomare in front of the Palazzo del Cinema. Arrive hours ahead for a front-row spot on the busiest premiere nights.
- Getting There: Fly into Venice Marco Polo Airport or arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia station. From there, ACTV vaporetto lines 1, 5.1, 5.2 and 6 run to Lido S.M.E. (Santa Maria Elisabetta), about a 25-minute ride from the historic center. It’s then a short bus ride or roughly 20-minute walk down the Gran Viale to the festival venues.
- What to Wear: Venice is typically hot and humid at this time of year, so bring light, breathable clothing, sunscreen and comfortable shoes for walking between venues. Pack something smarter too, as evening gala screenings in the Sala Grande call for formal or elegant attire.
- Accommodation: Rooms on the Lido itself are few and are largely taken up by film delegations and press, and hotel rates across Venice peak during the festival, so booking well in advance is strongly recommended.
- Explore Venice: Between screenings, cross the lagoon to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, take a gondola ride along the Grand Canal, or hop over to the glassblowing workshops of Murano and the colorful houses of Burano — browse top Venice tours and activities here.
La Biennale di Venezia publishes the full line-up, screening schedule and ticket sales on its official website ahead of each edition. See details below, under “Event Related Information” section.
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