The 65th annual Venice International Film Festival, was held from 27 August 2008 to 6 September 2008, at Venice Lido in Italy. The festival was dedicated to the late Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine.
German filmmaker Wim Wenders was the jury president for the main competition. Russian actress Kseniya Rappoport was the Host of the opening and closing ceremonies. The Golden Lion was awarded to The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky.
Italian filmmaker Ermanno Olmi received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the festival.
A restored version of Federico Fellini's 1952 comedy The White Sheik, with forty minutes of newly discovered footage. The record for the longest film at the festival was broken by Lav Diaz's Melancholia, with a running time of approximately seven and a half hours, which was included in the Orizzonti competition section.
The festival opened with Burn After Reading by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Juries
Main Competition (Venezia 65)
- Wim Wenders, German filmmaker, playwright, author and photographer - Jury President
- Yuri Arabov, Russian screenwriter, writer, poet and educator
- Valeria Golino, Italian actress and director
- Douglas Gordon, Scottish artist
- John Landis, American filmmaker, actor and producer
- Lucrecia Martel, Argentine filmmaker, and producer
- Johnnie To, Hong Kong director and producer
Opera Prima ("Luigi de Laurentiis" Award for a Debut Film)
Official Sections
In Competition
The following films were selected for the main competition:
Out of Competition
The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:
The following films were selected for the Horizons (Orizzonti) section:
Short Film Competition (Corto Cortissimo)
The following films were selected for the Short film competition (Corto Cortissimo) section:
These Phantoms: Italian Cinema Rediscovered (1946-1975)
Retrospective screenings and restorations. Special mono-graphic sessions dedicated to the "secret story of Italian cinema". This is the fifth part of the retrospective, initiated at the 61st edition of the festival.
Independent sections
Venice International Film Critics' Week
The following films were selected for the 23rd International Film Critics' Week:
Venice Days
The following films were selected for the 5th edition of Venice Days (Giornate Degli Autori) autonomous section:
Official Awards
In Competition (Venezia 65)
Short Film Competition (Corto Cortissimo)
- Lion for Best Short Film: Tierra y Pan by Carlos Armella
- Special Mention: Vacsora by Karchi Perlmann
- U.I.P. Award for Best European Short: De onbaatzuchtigen by Koen Dejaegher
Luigi De Laurentis Award For a Debut Film
- Mid-August Lunch by Gianni Di Gregorio
Independent Sections Awards
Venice International Film Critics' Week
- Best Film: The Apprentice by Samuel Collardey
- Isvema Award for a debut or second feature film: Mid-August Lunch by Gianni Di Gregorio
- Doc/it Award â Special mention: The Apprentice by Samuel Collardey
- "Altre Visioni" Award: Sell Out! by Yeo Joon Han
- EIUC Human Rights Film Award: Kabuli Kid by Akram Barmak
- Label Europa Cinemas Award: Machan by Uberto Pasolini
- Christopher D. Smithers Foundation Special Awards: Stella by Sylvie Verheyde
- FEDIC Award: Machan by Uberto Pasolini
- Lina Mangiacapre Award: Stella by Sylvie Verheyde
Independent Awards
The following collateral awards were conferred to films of the official selection:
- Best Film (Main competition): Gabbla by Tariq Teguia
- Best Film (Out of competition): Goodbye Solo by Ramin Bahrani
- The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow
- Special mention: ' by Amir Naderi & Teza by Haile Gerima
Francesco Pasinetti Award (SNGCI)
Doc/it Award â Sicilia Film Commission
Leoncino d'oro Agiscuola Award
- Giovanna's Father by Pupi Avati
UNICEF Award
Art Cinema Award
- Dikoe Pole (Wild Field) by Mikheil Kalatozishvili
La Navicella â Venezia Cinema Award
- The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow
C.I.C.T. UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Award
Biografilm Lancia Award
- Best Fiction Film: Rachel Getting Married by Jonathan Demme
- Best Documentary: Below Sea Level by Gianfranco Rosi
Nazareno Taddei Award
- Giovanna's Father by Pupi Avati
Don Gnocchi Award
- Pa-ra-da by Marco Pontecorvo
- Special mention: Ezio Greggio for Giovanna's Father
Future Film Festival Digital Award
Brian Award
Lanterna Magica Award (Cgs)
- Pa-ra-da by Marco Pontecorvo
CinemAvvenire, Best Film in Competition
- Vegas: Based on a True Story by Amir Naderi
- "The circle is not round. Cinema for peace and the richness of diversity" Award: Teza by Haile Gerima
Bastone Bianco Award (Filmcritica)
Human Rights Film Network Award
- The Hurt Locker by Kahryn Bigelow
Arca Cinemagiovani Award
- Best Film: The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow
- Best Italian Film: Mid-August Lunch by Gianni Di Gregorio
Air For Film Fest Award
- Pa-ra-da by Marco Pontecorvo
"Poveri ma belli" Award
- Puccini e la fanciulla by Paolo Benvenuti
Mimmo Rotella Foundation Award
Open Award 2008
- The Butcher's Shop by Philip Haas
References
External links