As the 81st Venice International Film Festival unfolds this year on the Lido, we took a trip down memory lane to spotlight ten of the most unforgettable films in the festival’s storied history.
10. Ivan’s Childhood (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1962)
A searing anti-war masterpiece, Tarkovsky’s debut explores the devastating impact of World War II on civilians through the eyes of orphaned Ivan. The film’s haunting beauty earned the Soviet Union its first Golden Lion.
9. The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)
Mickey Rourke delivers one of cinema’s most raw, emotionally charged performances as a washed-up wrestling star. Aronofsky’s character-driven drama blends intensity and tenderness, winning the Golden Lion at Venice’s 65th festival.
8. Three Colors: Blue (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1994)
Juliette Binoche stars as a widow trying to sever ties with her past. Kieślowski’s poetic exploration of grief and liberation won two Venice awards, including Best Cinematography, redefining 1990s European cinema.
7. The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1965)
A revolutionary war film that feels like a real-life documentary, Pontecorvo chronicles Algerian resistance against French colonial forces. Its raw realism transformed war storytelling on screen, influencing films like Saving Private Ryan.
6. Red Desert (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1964)
Monica Vitti shines in this meditation on alienation in postwar industrial Italy. Antonioni’s visual poetry earned Vitti the Golden Lion, capturing the psychological toll of a changing world.
5. Last Year at Marienbad (Alain Resnais, 1968)
A dreamlike narrative untethered from conventional storytelling, Resnais’ enigmatic film challenged audiences and inspired generations of filmmakers, winning the Golden Lion and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
4. Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1951)
Kurosawa’s innovative tale of a samurai murder, told from four perspectives, reshaped narrative cinema. It earned Venice’s Golden Lion and later an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
3. Belle de Jour (Luis Buñuel, 1967)
Catherine Deneuve captivates as a woman leading a double life as a daytime courtesan. Buñuel’s elegant examination of desire won the festival’s top prize, blending eroticism with psychological depth.
2. The Shape of Water (Guillermo del Toro, 2017)
Del Toro’s genre-bending romance between a woman and a mysterious amphibian creature dazzled audiences, winning Venice’s Golden Lion and four Oscars, including Best Picture.
1. Ordet (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1955)
Dreyer’s quietly devastating masterpiece explores faith and miracles in a Danish family. Minimalist yet profoundly moving, it captured the Golden Lion and remains a timeless cinematic triumph.
