83rd Venice International Film Festival Winners: A Celebration of World Cinema

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival 2026 has come to an end, bringing together some of the most remarkable voices in contemporary cinema. For more than eight decades, Venice has remained one of the most respected platforms for filmmakers, actors, and artists from around the world, and this year was no different.

The 2026 edition celebrated films that explored human experiences, social realities, personal struggles, and new approaches to storytelling. From established filmmakers to emerging talents, the awards reflected the diversity and creativity that continue to shape global cinema.

The festival’s highest honor, the Golden Lion for Best Film, was awarded to May El-Toukhy’s “Woman Unknown.” The film also received further recognition through Mathilde Arcel’s Volpi Cup for Best Actress, making it one of the most celebrated films of this year’s competition.

The Grand Jury Prize went to acclaimed filmmaker Lee Chang-dong for “Possible Love,” while Ilya Khrzhanovsky received the Silver Lion for Best Director for “DAU.” The jury also honored “NAZA” by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor with the Special Jury Prize, recognizing its distinctive approach and artistic contribution.

The Best Screenplay Award was presented to Stéphane Brizé, Coralie Amédéo, and Olivier Gorce for “Un Bon Petit Soldat” (“A Good Little Soldier”). The acting categories celebrated both established and emerging performers, with John Malkovich winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for “Wild Horse Nine” and Malou Khebizi receiving the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor for “15/18 (A Place to Heal).”

The Armani Beauty Audience Award went to Alina Șerban’s “Eu contez” (“I Matter”), while the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Debut Film recognized Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu’s “La maison du vent” (“House of the Wind”).

Below is the complete list of winners from the Venice Film Festival 2026.

COMPETITION:

Golden Lion for Best Film:
“Woman Unknown,” May El-Toukhy

Grand Jury Prize:
“Possible Love,” Lee Chang-dong

Silver Lion for Best Director:
Ilya Khrzhanovsky, “DAU”

Special Jury Prize:
“NAZA,” Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor

Best Screenplay:
“Un Bon Petit Soldat” (“A Good Little Soldier”)
Stéphane Brizé, Coralie Amédéo, Olivier Gorce

Volpi Cup for Best Actress:
Mathilde Arcel, “Woman Unknown”

Volpi Cup for Best Actor:
John Malkovich, “Wild Horse Nine”

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor:
Malou Khebizi, “15/18 (A Place to Heal)”

Armani Beauty Audience Award:
“Eu contez” (“I Matter”), Alina Șerban

Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Debut Film:
“La maison du vent” (“House of the Wind”), Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu

HORIZONS:

The Horizons section continued Venice’s tradition of supporting new cinematic voices and filmmakers who explore fresh ideas and different storytelling styles.

This year’s Horizons awards recognized films that brought unique perspectives and creative approaches to the screen. “Un détour par Diane” (“Diane in the Loop”) by Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni received the Best Film Award, while Jaqueline Lentzou was honored as Best Director for “Mia Mera Sti Zoi Tis Tzo: Kefalaio Faidra” (“A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra”).

“La maison du vent” (“House of the Wind”) by Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu received the Special Jury Prize, adding another important recognition to the film.

Best Actress:
Laleh Marzban, “Moragheb” (“Falling House”)

Best Actor:
Riccardo Scamarcio, “I figli della scimmia” (“The Children of the Monkey”)

Best Screenplay:
Tommaso Landucci and Damiano Femfert, “I figli della scimmia” (“The Children of the Monkey”)

Best Short Film:
“Quelques instants de bonheur” (“A Few Moments of Happiness”), Shaden Safieddine Tazi

VENICE CLASSICS:

Venice Classics continues to celebrate the importance of film preservation and restoration, ensuring that significant works from cinema history remain accessible for future generations.

Best Restored Film:
“La lunga notte del ’43” (“Long Night of 1943”), Florestano Vancini

VENICE IMMERSIVE:

The Venice Immersive section highlighted the future of storytelling through innovative cinematic experiences and new technologies.

Grand Prize:
“The Pigeon Ring,” Shixin Tao and Yuqi Zhang

Special Jury Prize:
“Out of the Ashes,” Rory Mitchell and Nonny de la Peña

Achievement Prize:
“Empire at Sea,” Peter Flaherty

Looking Beyond the Awards:

The Venice Film Festival 2026 once again showed the strength and diversity of world cinema. The winning films represent different cultures, different perspectives, and different ways of telling stories, but they share one common quality: the ability to connect with audiences.

At Cut to Cinema, we believe festivals like Venice are not only about awards. They are about celebrating the artists who continue to expand the boundaries of cinema and remind us why storytelling remains one of the most powerful forms of human expression.