The famous Venice Film Festival is one of the most significant events in the world film industry. It was here that they received a "ticket" to life, which became classics, films of Fellini, Tarkovsky, Alain Rene and Jean-Luc Godard. For eight decades, the Venice Film Festival has been dictating the “fashion” for cinema and defining the Film Market. Here the most expensive contracts are concluded and new films are sold for rent.
History of the Venice Film Festival
Today it is hard to believe that the initiator of the world's first film festival, held in 1932 on the island of Lido, was none other than Benito Mussolini.
And when some of the "well-wishers" recall this fact in the history of the famous film festival, the Venetians themselves react calmly, arguing that in Italy of the 1930s no public event could take place without the knowledge of the Duce.
And although the first Venice Film Festival was out of competition, even then, many of the paintings that participated in the show became a real classic of cinema ("Earth" Dovzhenko, "Grand Hotel" Capra, "Frankenstein" Wale and others), and the actors received worldwide fame and recognition (Greta Garbo, Clark Gable and others).
The film festival has it all: a red carpet, an autograph table and star guests
Since 1934, the film festival is held annually on the island of Lido. Under the Duce, his main award was the Mussolini Cup (1934 - 1942), then the Venice Grand International Prize, and starting in 1949, The Golden Lion of St. Mark.
Over its long history, the festival managed to open the world of Japanese and Iranian cinema, mark Soviet classics with awards and prizes, and also become the reason for the "birth" of Cannes (1939) and Rome (2008) film festivals.
Lido Island - the heart of the Festival
The island of Lido (Lido di Venezia), located between the Venetian lagoon and the Adriatic Sea, is one of the most famous resorts in Europe. And not only because there are wonderful sandy beaches, a clean sea, developed infrastructure and the ability to combine excursions to Venice with relaxation by the sea.
Once a year, at the end of summer - the beginning of autumn, when the film festival starts, the Lido island turns into a kind of Mecca for moviegoers. Booking an overnight stay at Lido or Venice hotels during this period is almost impossible. Hotel rooms are sold out at the end of the event and a year before the next event.
Palazzo del Cinema - Venue of the Venice Film Festival
The permanent venue of the Venice International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica) is the Palazzo del Cinema (Cinema Palace), built in Lido in 1937 specifically for this event.
At first, when the festival was just beginning to "declare" itself, the building Palazzo del cinema It fully met the needs of its organizers. Today, the famous film festival already lacks halls, and part of its events take place in other rooms located in the neighborhood.
Kino Palace was built on the island of Lido in 1937
Traditions and Rules
Like other, no less prestigious and authoritative events, the Venice Film Festival "acquired" its traditions, which are clearly observed over the past 80 years of its existence:
The main tradition of the Venice Film Festival It is held annually at the Cinema Palace (Palazzo del Cinema) from August to September on the island of Lido.
Of course, all the necessary attributes are present at the opening ceremony: the obligatory red carpet for celebrities, the autograph table, the welcoming words of the organizers, and the live broadcast on the Italian national channel RAI. However, there is another “unspoken” tradition at the festival, according to which the winner must give some venomous joke to Hollywood.
The main rule of the Film Festival and its indispensable condition for films participating in the main competition program is the fulfillment of two requirements: it should not be shown to the public and participate in other festivals.
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton at the Venice Film Festival (2007)
Prizes and awards at the Venice Film Festival are distributed as follows:
- In the main competition, the main award “Golden Lion” is awarded to the film-winner of the Festival, “Silver Lion” - to the best director;
- Two Volpi Cups are awarded to the best actor and best actress, respectively, for the best male and best female roles;
- The Marcello Mastroiani Prize is awarded to the best young actor or actress;
- In addition, there is a special jury prize, prizes for the best screenplay, camera work, etc.
- Since 2007, another prize has appeared at the Venice Film Festival - "Blue Lion", which is awarded for the best films on the topic of homosexuality.
Online Venice Film Festival
2012 was a turning point in the history of the Festival, as for the first time in the years of its existence, the viewer has the opportunity to see competitive pictures via the Internet. And although the films are broadcast in a streaming mode protected from downloads, many directors are still worried that the pictures may become easy prey for pirated copies.
At the 68th Venice Film Festival, Madonna presented her own film - "We"
Buy a ticket and get a personal link to access Venice Online Cinema You can register on the official website of the festival. In online mode, screenings of paintings are held simultaneously with their official premiere in Venice and are broadcast in the original language with English subtitles.
Star guests
The Venice Film Festival has always boasted an abundance of star guests on its red carpet. Over the years, many celebrities have visited here, many of whom took their first steps to the cinema on its stage.
Bridgette Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Elizabeth Taylor, Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, George Clooney, Laetitia Casta, Cindy Crawford, Natalie Portman, Al Pacino, Madonna, Salma Hayek, Brad Pitt, Madonna and others have visited the Festival more than once.
