The Venice Film Festival has once again showcased the best in cinema, culminating in the awarding of the prestigious Golden Lion. This year’s surprise winner, Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, has sparked conversations about art and empathy.
Venice Film Festival Awards 2023
And the winner is Father Mother Sister Brother.
The Venice Film Festival concluded its star-studded festivities by awarding Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother with the prestigious Golden Lion Award for Best Film, a bit of a surprise.
“Art does not have to address politics directly to be political,” said Jarmusch. “It can engender empathy and a connection between us, which is really the first step to solving the problems that we have.”
Major Awards and Highlights
The Grand Jury Prize went to The Voice of Hind Rajab. Director Kaouther Ben Hania‘s film, Tunisia’s Oscar submission, received a record 22-minute standing ovation. “I dedicate this award to the Palestinian residents and to all those who have risked everything to save lives in Gaza,” said Ben Hania. “We all believe in the force of cinema. It’s what gathers us here tonight and gives us the courage to tell stories that might otherwise be buried.”
The Silver Lion for Best Director was awarded to Benny Safdie for The Smashing Machine, who called it “the honor of a lifetime.”
“This is a dream come true,” said Safdie. “I wanted this movie to be an exercise in radical empathy. And if we can empathize with somebody who seems invincible, then we can empathize with anybody, and empathy right now is more important than ever.” He also praised star Dwayne Johnson for his remarkable performance.
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Toni Servillo was named Best Actor for his role in Paolo Sorrentino‘s La Grazia, about an Italian president facing tough decisions regarding a controversial euthanasia law. Xin Zhilei was named Best Actress for her role in the Chinese film The Sun Rises On Us All.
Impacts of the Awards
While the top prize at Venice can significantly boost a film’s profile, especially in a competitive season, it has a mixed track record as a predictor of major awards. Last year’s winner, Pedro Almodovar‘s The Room Next Door, was ultimately overlooked by the Academy. In contrast, Yorgos Lanthimos‘ Poor Things performed remarkably well, earning 11 Oscar nominations and winning four.
The ceremony featured several impassioned speeches addressing the conflict in Gaza. “Politics might fail, but art is and will always be a home for justice, freedom, and humanity,” said director Maryam Touzani, who won the Audience Award for her film Calle Malaga.
Full List of Winners
- Golden Lion for Best Film: Father Mother Sister Brother
- Grand Jury Prize: The Voice of Hind Rajab
- Silver Lion for Best Director: Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine
- Special Jury Prize: Below the Clouds (Sottoe Le Nuvole), Gianfranco Rossi
- Best Screenplay: At Work (A Pied D’Oeuvre), Valerie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand
- Best Actor: Toni Servillo, La Grazia
- Best Actress: Xin Zhilei, The Sun Rises On Us All
- Best Young Actor/Actress: Luna Wedler, Silent Friend
- Debut Film: Short Summer, Nastia Korkia
- Audience Award: Calle Malaga, Maryam Touzani
Horizons Section
- Best Film: On the Road (En El Camino), David Pablos
- Best Director: Anuparna Roy, Songs of Forgotten Trees
- Special Jury Prize: Lost Land (Hara Watan), Akio Fujimoto
- Best Actor: Giacomo Covi, A Year of School (Un Anno di Scuola)
- Best Actress: Benedetta Porcaroli, The Kidnapping of Arabella (Il Rapimento di Arabella)
- Best Screenplay: The Ivy (Hiedra), Ana Cristina Barragan
- Best Short Film: Without Kelly, Lovisa Sirén
Venice Classics
- Best Documentary: Mata Hari, Joe Beshenkovsky and James A. Smith
- Best Restored Film: Bashu, The Little Stranger (Bashu, Gharibeye Koochak), Bahram Beizai
Venice Immersive
- Grand Prize: The Clouds Are Two Thousands Meters Up, Singing Chen
- Special Jury Prize: Less Than 5Gr of Safran, Négar Motevalymeidanshah
- Achievement Prize: A Long Goodbye, Kate Voet and Victor Maes
