The Venice International Film Festival, one of the oldest cinematic events in the world, has announced the Competition Jury for its 83rd edition, which will take place in Venice from September 2 to September 12, 2026.
This year, Maggie Gyllenhaal—the American director, actress, screenwriter, and producer—will serve as President of the Jury. The other jury members are: Kaouther Ben Hania, the Tunisian director and screenwriter; Daniel Blumberg, the British composer; Francesco Casetti, the Italian author and university professor; Xavier Giannoli, the French director and screenwriter; Shahrbanoo Sadat, the Afghan director and screenwriter based in Germany; and Johnnie To, the Hong Kong director and producer. The jury members were selected by the Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia upon the recommendation of Festival Director Alberto Barbera.
Golden Lion and Silver Lion Awards
The festival’s closing ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The Competition Jury will present the festival’s official awards to feature-length films, including:
- The Golden Lion for Best Film
- The Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize
- The Silver Lion for Best Director
- The Volpi Cup awards for Best Actress and Best Actor
- The award for Best Screenplay
- The Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actress or Actor
Festival Sections
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the world’s oldest film festival, will be held under the direction of Alberto Barbera and will showcase works by filmmakers from around the globe in a wide range of competitive and non-competitive sections, including:
- Main Competition
- Orizzonti (Horizons)
- Venice Critics’ Week
- Venezia Spotlight
- Venice Immersive Competition
- Venice Classics (restored films)
- College Cinema
- Best Experience
- Best of the World
- Cinema and Music special section
- The non-competitive Critics’ Week
In addition, this year’s festival will once again feature a series of masterclasses, workshops, and conversations with leading figures from the world of cinema.
