Venice Film Festival 2020 Winners: ‘Nomadland’ Takes Golden Lion, Vanessa Kirby Is Best Actress

Ryan Lattanzio
·2 min read

The Venice Film Festival, which reinvigorated the fall festival season with a physical event that began on September 2 in Italy, concluded on Saturday with its annual awards ceremony. See the full list of winners and watch the live stream below.

Led by president Cate Blanchett, the jurors for the main competition included Austrian director Veronika Franz (“Goodnight Mommy,” “The Lodge”), British filmmaker Joanna Hogg (“The Souvenir”), Italian writer and novelist Nicola Lagioia, German filmmaker Christian Petzold (“Phoenix,” “Barbara”), actor Matt Dillon (“Crash”), and French actress Ludivine Sagnier (“Swimming Pool,” “8 Women”).

Together, they awarded the festival’s top prizes, including the Golden Lion, which last year went to “Joker” under jury president Lucrecia Martel. This year’s Golden Lion went to “Nomadland,” which received a rapturous reception out of the Toronto International Film Festival as well this week, and looks to be headed straight for Oscar contention.

Meanwhile, in the Orizzonti, or Horizons, section running parallel to the main competition, French favorite Claire Denis (“High Life,” “Beau Travail”) led the jury comprised of Oskar Alegria (Spain), Francesca Comencini (Italy), Katriel Schory (Israel), and Christine Vachon (USA).

COMPETITION

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor: Rouhollah Zamani, “Sun Children”

Special Jury Prize: “Dear Comrades,” Andrei Konchalovsky

Best Screenplay: “The Disciple,” Chaitanya Tamhane

Coppa Volpi for Best Actor: Pierfrancesco Favino, “Padrenostro”

Coppa Volpi for Best Actress: Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman”

Silver Lion for Best Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, “Wife of a Spy”

Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: “New Order,” Michel Franco

Golden Lion for Best Film: “Nomadland,” Chloé Zhao

HORIZONS

Best Short Film: “Entre tú y milagros,” Mariana Safron

Best Screenplay: “I Predatori,” Pietro Castellitto

Best Actor: Yahya Mahayni, “The Man Who Sold His Skin”

Best Actress: Khansa Batma, “Zanka Contact”

Special Jury Prize: “Listen,” Ana Rocha de Sousa

Best Director: Lav Diaz, “Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)”

Best Film: “The Wasteland,” Ahmad Bahrami

LION OF THE FUTURE

Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: “Listen,” Ana Rocha de Sousa

VIRTUAL REALITY COMPETITION

Best VR: Michelle and Uri Kranot, “The Hangman at Home: An Immersive Single User Experience”

Best VR Experience: Kiira Benzing, “Finding Pandora X”

Best VR Story: Fan Fan, “Killing a Superstar”

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