Venice Film Festival 2025 ends with surprise winners and strong messages

Photo:AP

The 82nd Venice Film Festival closed this year with unexpected results and many emotional moments, leaving audiences and critics alike surprised. The festival, known for celebrating world cinema, awarded the Golden Lion for Best Film to Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother”, a choice that many had not predicted. The jury was led by Alexander Payne, the acclaimed director, and the decision has been called one of the most unexpected in recent years.

This edition of the festival was also notable for strong political statements and solidarity with Palestine. Many filmmakers and award winners used their time to draw attention to global issues, particularly the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

The Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize went to Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, a moving film about the final phone call of a six-year-old Palestinian girl trapped in Gaza. The film received the festival’s longest standing ovation, highlighting its emotional impact on the audience.

Benny Safdie won the Best Director award for “The Smashing Machine”, a sports drama starring Dwayne Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr. The film explores the personal struggles and pain of a fighter addicted to painkillers. Another notable award, the Special Jury Prize, went to Gianfranco Rosi’s “Below the Clouds”, a documentary capturing human stories from difficult environments.

In acting categories, Xin Zhilei received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her role in “The Sun Rises on Us All”, while Toni Servillo won Best Actor for his performance in Paolo Sorrentino’s “La grazia”. A young talent, Luna Wedler, received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for her role in “Silent Friend”, a poetic three-part story set in medieval Germany revolving around a ginkgo tree.

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The festival’s Horizons section, which focuses on new discoveries and innovative filmmaking, also announced its winners first. “En El Camino”, a film about long-haul trucking in Mexico by David Pablos, won Best Film. Anuparna Roy, an Indian director, won Best Director for her debut feature “Songs of Forgotten Trees”, which tells the story of two migrant women in Mumbai. During her acceptance speech, she spoke passionately about the conflict in Gaza, saying, “Every child deserves peace, freedom, liberation, and Palestine is no exception. I stand beside Palestine.”

Another filmmaker, Maryam Touzani, winner of the Audience Award for “Calle Málaga”, also highlighted the suffering in Gaza, asking, “How many mothers have been made childless? How many more until this horror is brought to an end?”

The debut film prize was presented by Charlotte Wells to Nastia Korkia for her short film “Short Summer”, a story about a child living with grandparents during the Chechen war. Korkia used the moment to speak about the war in Ukraine, urging people to remain aware and seek peace.

The festival paid tribute to Giorgio Armani, who passed away on September 4, 2025. A standing ovation honored the designer, celebrating his influence across fashion, art, and cinema. Italian architect Carlo Ratti highlighted Armani’s legacy, noting how he taught that creativity flourishes where different disciplines meet.

Venice 2025 featured several films expected to be strong contenders for future awards. Kathryn Bigelow presented a gripping thriller, “A House of Dynamite”, about nuclear weapons and decision-making. Guillermo del Toro unveiled a new take on Frankenstein, with Oscar Isaac as the tortured scientist. Park Chan-wook presented “No Other Choice”, a dark comedy about office workers competing for jobs.

Dwayne Johnson’s dramatic role in “The Smashing Machine” received a 15-minute standing ovation, showing his range beyond action films. Other notable films included “Bugonia”, featuring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, and “Jay Kelly”, starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler on a European journey exploring Hollywood life.

International films such as Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab” made a major impact late in the festival. Set entirely inside a Palestine Red Crescent Society dispatch center, the film uses the real audio of Hind’s call while actors portray the first responders. It reportedly received a 22-minute standing ovation, emphasizing the audience’s emotional connection to the real-life events.

The main competition jury included international talents like Fernanda Torres, Mohammad Rasoulof, Stéphane Brizé, Maura Delpero, Zhao Tao, and Cristian Mungiu. Past Venice winners, including Yorgos Lanthimos and Guillermo del Toro, have later won top Oscars, showing the festival’s importance in the global film scene.

Venice Film Festival continues to be a major platform for international cinema, blending creative storytelling with social messages, political awareness, and performances that touch audiences worldwide. This year’s edition left a lasting impression with its surprises, heartfelt speeches, and films reflecting both human struggle and artistic brilliance.