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83rd edition
Venice International Film Festival
Venice, Italy
September 2-12, 2026
11 days
About Venice International Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica) is the oldest film festival in the world, founded in 1932 as part of La Biennale di Venezia. It takes place each year on the Lido di Venezia. Documentary work is featured across the main Competition, the Orizzonti and Orizzonti Extra sections, Out of Competition (Non-Fiction) and Venice Classics. The festival is organized by the Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia and recognized by FIAPF.
Festival details
Location
Ca' Giustinian, San Marco 1364/A, 30124 Venice, Italy · Venice, Italy
Scope
International
Focus
Feature Film · Documentary
Duration
11 days
Founded
1932
Awards
Golden Lion
Top prize of the main Competition; open to documentaries and fiction.
Silver Lion - Grand Jury Prize
Second-highest prize of the main Competition.
Orizzonti Award for Best Film
Top prize of the Orizzonti section, frequently includes documentary work.
Venice Classics Award for Best Documentary on Cinema
Best documentary focused on cinema in the Venice Classics section.
Luigi De Laurentiis Award (Lion of the Future)
Best debut feature across all sections, including documentaries.
Special programs
Venezia - Official Competition
Main competition for the Golden Lion.
Orizzonti / Orizzonti Extra
Sections focused on new trends and aesthetics in world cinema.
Out of Competition - Non-Fiction
Dedicated out-of-competition strand for documentaries.
Venice Classics
Restored classics and documentaries about cinema.
Venice Production Bridge
Industry platform including Gap-Financing Market and Final Cut in Venice.
For filmmakers
Screening eligibility
Films must be world or international premieres and completed within the year prior to the festival.
Accepted formats
Feature, Short, Documentary, Fiction, VR
Best Documentary Films
Award-Winning Documentaries
Curated For You
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