Art.001 – History of the film festival – Venice Film Festival

According to historical accounts, the history of Italian cinema began in 1895 with the screening of the Lumière brothers’ films in Turin. However, it was not until the early 1900s that Italian filmmakers began producing their own films.

The Venice Film Festival was established in 1932, which is approximately 37 years after the first screening of films in Italy.

The Venice Film Festival was established by the government of Benito Mussolini, who saw the potential of film as a propaganda tool. The festival was founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata, a prominent businessman and politician who served as the Minister of Finance under Mussolini.

At the beginning of the Venice Film Festival, few people know that the festival was actually held on the terrace of the Hotel Excelsior on the Venice Lido, not in the historic city of Venice. The festival had a humble beginning, with only 9 countries participating and 25 films screened.

The impact of World War II on the Venice Film Festival was significant. The festival was canceled from 1940 to 1946 due to the war, and it was not until 1947 that the festival resumed.

The awards of the Venice Film Festival are called the Golden Lion, Silver Lion, Grand Jury Prize, and other awards in various categories. These awards are for feature films, and there are separate awards for short films as well.

The Golden Lion is the most prestigious award at the Venice Film Festival and is awarded to the best film of the festival. The Silver Lion is awarded for best director, and the Grand Jury Prize is awarded to the best film in the competition.

The awards are allocated to various categories such as Competition, Out of Competition, Orizzonti, and Venezia Classici. The competition section is the main section of the festival, and it includes feature films from around the world.

The Venezia Classici section is dedicated to the restoration of classic films, while the Orizzonti section showcases films that are more experimental or innovative.