Venice Film Festival
The oldest film festival in the world and a cornerstone of the European awards season
Overview
The Venice Film Festival, established in 1932, is the oldest film festival in the world and remains one of the most prestigious. Held on the Lido island in Venice, Italy, it is a key part of the European festival circuit and a major awards-season launchpad.
The festival's main competition awards the Golden Lion, one of the most respected prizes in world cinema. Venice also programs out-of-competition screenings, a Horizons section for emerging filmmakers, and VR experiences.
How It Works
Venice's late-August/early-September timing positions it as the opening salvo of awards season, and many recent Oscar winners have premiered at the festival. The intimate setting of the Lido creates a focused atmosphere for serious cinema.
Submission fees vary by category and section. Accreditation is required for industry attendance, and accommodations on the Lido during the festival book quickly and at premium rates.
Who Uses It
A must-target for filmmakers with serious artistic ambitions and potential awards contenders. A Venice selection or award can dramatically elevate a film's profile heading into the fall festival and awards circuit.
Pricing & Plans
Venice Film Festival submission fees vary by section and category, with details published on the festival's official website through its online submission platform. Industry accreditation for the Venice Film Market and industry events is available at various price tiers, providing access to screenings, networking events, and marketplace activities. Public tickets for screenings at the Palazzo del Cinema and other Lido venues are available for purchase, though high-profile premiere screenings often sell out quickly. Accommodation on the Lido during the festival commands premium prices, with hotel rates typically ranging from EUR 200-600+ per night, though staying in Venice proper and commuting to the Lido via vaporetto (water bus) offers somewhat more affordable alternatives. The late-August/early-September timing coincides with the end of European summer tourism season, which keeps some travel costs marginally lower than peak summer rates while still being a premium period for Venice and Lido lodging. For selected filmmakers, the festival provides premiere infrastructure including the iconic Palazzo del Cinema screening room, red carpet coordination, and press facilities, though travel and accommodation expenses are typically the responsibility of the filmmaker or their production company.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The Golden Lion is one of the most prestigious prizes in world cinema, and Venice's role as the opening salvo of awards season means that a strong Venice premiere generates momentum that carries through TIFF, Telluride, and into the Oscar race — recent Best Picture winners including Nomadland, The Shape of Water, and Birdman all premiered at Venice. The festival's intimate Lido setting creates a focused, immersive atmosphere where films receive concentrated critical attention without competing against the overwhelming volume of programming that characterizes larger festivals like TIFF or Cannes. Venice's 90+ year history as the oldest film festival in the world provides unmatched cultural gravitas, and selection at Venice positions a filmmaker within a lineage that includes some of the greatest films ever made. The Horizons section specifically supports emerging filmmakers and innovative voices, providing a prestigious platform for new talent that carries more weight than equivalent sections at many other festivals. Venice's position as a bridge between European and North American festival circuits means that films screening there receive attention from both European and American distributors, critics, and awards voters. The VR and immersive programming at Venice has become one of the most respected showcases for new media formats, providing visibility for creators working beyond traditional cinema.
What Could Be Better
Venice's exclusive and invitation-heavy selection process means that emerging filmmakers without established industry relationships face significant barriers to having their work considered, as the festival's artistic director has significant curatorial authority over programming. The Lido location, while atmospheric, is logistically challenging — the island's limited infrastructure means crowded water taxis, limited restaurant options, and accommodation scarcity that creates a stressful experience for first-time attendees without insider knowledge. The festival's late-August timing directly overlaps with Telluride and immediately precedes TIFF, creating a compressed festival calendar where films and industry attendees must choose between competing events, potentially diluting the impact of any single premiere. Venice has faced ongoing criticism regarding gender parity in its Competition selections, with women directors historically underrepresented in the main slate, though the festival has made efforts to address this imbalance. The European location makes Venice less accessible for American independent filmmakers compared to domestic festivals, adding significant international travel costs to an already expensive festival experience. Some films that receive strong responses at Venice struggle to maintain momentum through the subsequent fall festival circuit and awards season, as the gap between the September premiere and the following year's Oscar ceremony is long enough for initial buzz to fade.
Our Recommendation
Venice is recommended for filmmakers with artistically ambitious features that have genuine awards potential and benefit from the prestige and concentrated critical attention that the world's oldest film festival provides. The festival is particularly valuable for European filmmakers and international voices whose work aligns with Venice's editorial identity of formal sophistication and artistic ambition. If your film is competing for awards-season attention, a Venice premiere followed by TIFF creates the optimal festival trajectory for building momentum heading into the fall campaign — discuss this strategy with your sales agent or distributor to coordinate timing. Emerging filmmakers should target the Horizons section or Venice Shorts rather than the main Competition, as these programs are more receptive to new voices and still carry significant prestige. For actors, a lead role in a Venice Competition film provides extraordinary career visibility, and the red carpet premiere on the Lido is one of the most photographed and covered events in global entertainment media.
Pro Tips
Work with an experienced sales agent or producer's representative to navigate Venice's submission and selection process, as the festival's programming decisions involve significant informal communication between the artistic director's team and established industry contacts. If selected, hire a publicist with Venice experience to manage your press schedule and coordinate red carpet logistics, as the festival's media dynamics are intense and professional guidance dramatically improves your film's critical reception and industry impact. Research the Lido's logistical realities before attending — book accommodation well in advance, understand the vaporetto schedules, and plan your daily movement between screenings, press events, and industry meetings to avoid the transportation frustrations that catch first-time attendees off guard. Attend Venice screenings and events even if your film is not in the official program, as the festival's intimate environment provides networking opportunities with critics, distributors, and fellow filmmakers that are more accessible than at larger, more overwhelming festivals. Coordinate your Venice strategy with your TIFF plans if applicable, as many films screen at both festivals within a two-week window, and managing the logistics, press, and distribution conversations across both events requires careful advance planning.