A rare documentary victory marks a historic shift at the 79th Venice Film Festival

History · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2022, the Venice International Film Festival defied convention by awarding its highest honor, the Golden Lion, to a documentary. This rare achievement, only the second in the festival's history, highlights a changing landscape in cinema where non-fiction storytelling increasingly commands the same prestige as traditional narrative features.

The 79th Venice International Film Festival, held from 31 August to 10 September 2022 at the Venice Lido in Italy, served as a significant stage for global cinema. Under the guidance of Jury President Julianne Moore, the main competition evaluated a diverse array of films, ultimately bestowing the Golden Lion upon Laura Poitras for her documentary, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. This win was a milestone, as it marked only the second time a documentary had claimed the festival's top prize, the first being Gianfranco Rosi's Sacro GRA in 2013.

Beyond the top prize, the festival recognized a broad spectrum of talent. The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was presented to two industry icons: American filmmaker Paul Schrader and French actress Catherine Deneuve. The competition also honored performances and scripts that resonated with the jury, including the Volpi Cup for Best Actress awarded to Cate Blanchett for her role in Tár, and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor given to Colin Farrell for his work in The Banshees of Inisherin. Martin McDonagh also received the award for Best Screenplay for the same film.

The festival's structure extended far beyond the main competition, encompassing various sections such as Horizons, Venice Immersive, and the 37th Venice International Critics' Week. Opening with Noah Baumbach's White Noise and closing with Francesco Carrozzini's The Hanging Sun, the event showcased a wide range of artistic voices. Other notable winners included Alice Diop, who took home the Grand Jury Prize for Saint Omer, and Luca Guadagnino, who earned the Silver Lion for Bones and All. These selections underscore the festival's commitment to celebrating both established masters and emerging perspectives in the evolving world of international film.

The jury, which included figures such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Audrey Diwan, and Leonardo Di Costanzo, navigated a complex selection of films across multiple categories. From the Special Jury Prize awarded to Jafar Panahi for No Bears to the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Taylor Russell, the 2022 edition of the festival reinforced Venice's role as a critical arbiter of cinematic excellence, balancing traditional prestige with the growing influence of documentary filmmaking.

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