Venice International Film Festival 2025!

The ongoing Venice Film Festival 2025—the 82nd edition—runs from 27 August to 6 September 2025 at Venice Lido, showcasing a diverse selection of films, major premieres, A-list stars, and key industry honors, solidifying its status as one of the world’s most prestigious cinematic events.

Festival Overview

This year’s festival is bigger than ever, with expanded programming, more film submissions, and heightened international interest. American filmmaker Alexander Payne is the Jury President, while renowned German filmmaker Werner Herzog and legendary American actress Kim Novak receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Host Emanuela Fanelli presides over opening and closing ceremonies.

Opening and Major Premieres

Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia kicked off the event, and Cédric Jimenez’s futuristic thriller Dog 51 will close it. Hollywood celebs such as Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Emma Stone, Dwayne Johnson, and Cate Blanchett are bringing star power, with Netflix presenting high-profile entries like Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, and Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly

🎬

• Dates: 27 Aug – 6 Sep 2025
• Jury President: Alexander Payne
• Lifetime Achievement Awards: Werner Herzog & Kim Novak
• Host: Emanuela Fanelli
• Opening Film: La Grazia (Paolo Sorrentino)
• Closing Film: Dog 51 (Cédric Jimenez

🏆 Competition (selected highlights from 21 world premieres)

• Bugonia – Yorgos Lanthimos (starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons)
• Jay Kelly – Noah Baumbach (with George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern)
• After the Hunt – Luca Guadagnino (with Julia Roberts)
• No Other Choice – Park Chan-wook
• The Smashing Machine – Benny Safdie (with Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr)
• A House of Dynamite – Kathryn Bigelow (Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson)
• Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro
• Father Mother Sister Brother – Jim Jarmusch
• The Voice of Hind Rajab – Kaouther Ben Hania
• Duse – Pietro Marcello
• L’Etranger – François Ozon
• Orphan – László Nemes
• Ghost Elephants – Werner Herzog
• Cover-Up – Laura Poitras & Mark Obenhaus
• Marc by Sofia – Sofia Coppola
• In the Hand of Dante – Julian Schnabel
• The Wizard of the Kremlin – Olivier Assayas

🌟 Out-of-Competition Highlights

• The Last Viking – Anders Thomas Jensen
• Scarlet – Mamoru Hosoda
• Dead Man’s Wire – Gus Van Sant
• Kim Novak’s Vertigo – Alexandre Philippe
• Back Home – Tsai Ming-liang
• Late Fame – Kent Jones
• Rose of Nevada – Mark Jenkin
• Motor City – Potsy Ponciroli
• Sotto le Nuvole – Gianfranco Rosi

🧠 Special Sections

• Horizons (Orizzonti): experimental & innovative cinema
• Venice Classics: restored classics & film history docs
• Biennale College: low-budget features by emerging directors

🌍 Context & Industry Impact

• Festival used as a political stage: protests over Gaza conflict; film The Voice of Hind Rajab draws attention.
• Acts as a launchpad for Oscar season and a major networking hub for world cinema.
• Star power from Julia Roberts, Emma Stone, George Clooney, Dwayne Johnson, Cate Blanchett, Guillermo del Toro and more.

🎯 Closing Remarks: Why Venice Matters for India & Students

• Global Platform for Indian Cinema: Venice has historically introduced Indian films and filmmakers to the world stage, from Satyajit Ray’s early recognition to contemporary voices. It validates Indian stories in the international art-house and festival circuits.
• Showcasing Diversity: With its emphasis on global cinema, Venice offers Indian filmmakers the chance to present unique narratives—regional, independent, or experimental—beyond Bollywood.
• Career Catalyst for Students: For film students, Venice represents a masterclass in itself—exposure to the latest trends, international storytelling styles, and technical innovation.
• Networking & Collaboration: Students and young filmmakers get to observe how international markets, producers, and distributors respond to films—opening doors to cross-border co-productions and OTT opportunities.
• Inspiration & Aspiration: Walking the red carpets, attending panels, and witnessing how world cinema is celebrated inspires Indian film students to dream bigger and position their art globally.
• Path to Awards & Recognition: Venice is often the first step toward the Oscars. For Indian cinema, this is an essential gateway to global critical acclaim and industry acceptance.

✨ For Indian students, the Venice Film Festival is more than glamour—it is a living classroom where world cinema converges, shaping perspectives, techniques, and ambitions that can transform their careers.

Mani Ratnam

Film Screened: Raavanan (Tamil version) – Festival premiere at Venice, 2010

Special Honor: Mani Ratnam received the “Glory to the Filmmaker” Award at the same edition

Drafted by

CJ Rajkumar

Author/ Cinematographer