Venice Film Festival 2026: dates, programme and awards

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs from 2 to 12 September 2026 on the Lido di Venezia. Its official prizes are scheduled to be announced at the closing ceremony on 12 September. This briefing was checked on 8 September, while the festival was still under way.

Has Venice announced its 2026 Golden Lion winner?

At this article’s 8 September check, the closing awards ceremony was still ahead. A competition selection, a premiere and an award are different things. A film appearing in the programme should not be described as the 2026 Golden Lion winner before the result is announced.

For the final result, use the organiser’s current-edition website linked in Sources. This article is a dated briefing, not a live results feed. Our Venice film archive collects titles across multiple editions; a prize attached to an older film is not a result for the current festival.

Where is the official programme?

La Biennale publishes a public screening schedule with dates, venues and admission information. Start there when choosing a screening, rather than treating a film’s inclusion in a news roundup as a ticket listing. The festival’s main programme spans competition and other sections, so check which section a film belongs to before drawing conclusions about awards eligibility.

For a practical shortlist, note the film title, section, screening date and venue together. Similar titles, repeat screenings and different admission arrangements make a title-only list less useful. If you are following from home, retain the director’s name as well: international distribution can introduce an alternative release title.

Does a Venice premiere mean a film is in cinemas everywhere?

No. A festival screening gives you a place and date for that screening. It does not establish a national theatrical release or a streaming date. For Indonesia, check a local distributor or cinema’s listing before planning a visit; the same distinction applies in the UK, US and India.

Our cinema listings and Indonesia guide are separate discovery tools. A festival title may have an archive page without a confirmed local booking opportunity. Where a release has not been verified, the useful next step is to follow the official film or distributor announcement.

How should you use festival coverage to choose a film?

Begin with what interests you: a filmmaker, a subject, a genre or an unfamiliar national cinema. Then read a review for the experience it describes—pacing, performances, form and tone. An award can add context, but it cannot tell you whether a particular film matches your mood.

Keep three notes separate in a watchlist: where the film screened, any prize it actually won, and where you can watch it. That small distinction makes festival discovery more useful long after the red carpet has gone. Explore the festival calendar and archive for the next stop.