Venice Golden Lion Winners: Photos From Every One Of The Festival’s Top Films Through The Years
Venice Golden Lion Winners: Photos From Every One Of The Festival’s Top Films Through The Years
By Robert Lang
Robert Lang
Photo Editor/Arts & Culture Writer
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The Southener, Belle de Jour, The JokerEverett
The Golden Lion, the highest honor at the Venice Film Festival, is a prestigious award that has been given to many of the world’s most acclaimed directors and films. The prize has recognized a diverse range of cinematic masterpieces from different eras and countries. Some notable winners include Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950), Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert (1964), and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things (2023).
The award has also been shared by multiple films in a single year, such as in 1980 when it was given to both Louis Malle’s Atlantic City and John Cassavetes’s Gloria. The festival has also awarded a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to legendary figures like Orson Welles and Charlie Chaplin.
Scroll through the gallery to see the winners over the years.
Photo : TrustNordisk
WOMAN UNKOWN, 2026
Dir. May el-Toukhy
Photo : Mubi
FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER, 2025
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Photo : Sony Pictures Classics
THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, 2024
Dir: Pedro Almodóvar
Photo : Searchlight
POOR THINGS, 2023
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Photo : HBO/Participant
ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED, 2022
Dir. Laura Poitras
Photo : Wild Bunch/Courtesy Everett Collection
L’EVENEMENT, 2021
Dir. Audrey Diwan
Photo : Searchlight Pictures/Everett Collection
NOMADLAND, 2020
Dir. Chloé Zhao
Photo : Warner Bros./Everett Collection
JOKER, 2019
Dir. Todd Phillips
Photo : Carlos Somonte/ Netflix/Everett Collection
ROMA, 2018
Dir. Alfonso Cuarón
Photo : Fox Searchlight Pictures/Everett Collection
THE SHAPE OF WATER, 2017
Dir. Guillermo del Toro
Photo : Hazel Orencio/Kino Lorber/Everett Collection
ANG BABAENG HUMAYO,2016
Dir. Lav Diaz
Photo : Strand Releasing
DESDE ALLA, 2015
Dir. Lorenzo Vigas
Photo : Magnolia Pictures/Everett Collection
EN DUVA SATT PA EN GREN OCH FUNDERADE PA TILLVARON, 2014
Dir. Roy Andersson
Photo : Doc & Film International
SACRO GRA, 2013
Dir. Gianfranco Rosi
Photo : Drafthouse Films/Everett Collection
PIETA, 2012
Dir. Kim Ki-duk
Photo : International Film Circuit/Courtesy Everett Colection
FAUST, 2011
Dir. Aleksander Sokurov
Photo : Franco Biciocchi/Focus Features/Everett Collection
SOMEWHERE, 2010
Dir. Sofia Coppola
Photo : Sony Pictures Classics/Everett Collection
LEBANON, 2009
Dir. Samual Maoz
Photo : Copyright Twentieth Century Fox/Everett Collection
THE WRESTLER, 2008
Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Photo : Focus Features/courtesy Everett Collection
SE, JIE, 2007
Dir. Ang Lee
Photo : New Yorker Films/Courtesy Everett Collection
SANXIA HAOREN, 2006
Dir. Jia Zhangke
Photo : Focus Films/Everett Collection
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, 2005
Dir. Ang Lee
Photo : Fine Line/courtesy Everett Collection
VERA DRAKE, 2004
Dir. Mike Leigh
Photo : Kino International /courtesy Everett Collection
VOZVRASHCHENIYE, 2003
Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Photo : Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection
MAGDALENE SISTERS, 2002
Dir. Peter Mullan
Photo : Everett Collection
MONSOON WEDDING, 2001
Dir. Mira Nair
Photo : Winstar Cinema/courtesy Everett
DAYEREH, 2000
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Photo : Sony Pictures Classics/courtesy Everett Collectio
NOT ONE LESS, 1999
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Photo : Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica
COSI RIDEVANO, 1998
Dir. Gianni Amelio
Photo : Milestone/courtesy Everett Collection
HANA-BI, 1997
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Photo : Everett Collection
MICHAEL COLLINS, 1996
Dir Neil Jordan
Photo : Canal+
CYCLO, 1995
Dir. Tran Ahn Hung
Photo : Strand Releasing/courtesy Everett Collecti
AIQING WANSUI – VIVE L’AMOUR, 1994 (joint winners)
Dir. Tsai Ming-liang
Photo : Gramercy Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
BEFORE THE RAIN, 1994 (joint winners)
Dir. Milcho Manchevski
Photo : Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection
TROIS COULEURS: BLEU, 1993 (joint winners)
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Photo : Fine Line Features/courtesy Everett Collection
SHORT CUTS, 1993 (joint winners)
Dir. Robert Altman
Photo : Sony Pictures Classics/courtesy Everet
QIU JU DA GUAN SI, 1992
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Photo : Miramax Films/courtesy Everett Collection
URGA, 1992
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Photo : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, 1990
Dir. Tom Stoppard
Photo : ERA International
BEIGING SHENGHSI, 1989
Dir. Hou Xiaoxian
Photo : Bac films/courtesy Everett Collection
LA LEGGENDA DEL SANTO BEVITORE, 1988
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Photo : Orion Classics/courtesy Everett Collection
AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS, 1987
Dir. Louis Malle
Photo : Orion/courtesy Everett Collection
LE RAYON VERT, 1986
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Photo : Jean GUICHARD/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
SANS TOIT NI LOI, 1985
Dir. Agnès Varda
Photo : Regina Ziegler Filmproduktion
ROK SPOKOJNEGO SLONCA, 1984
Dir. Krzysztof Zanussi
Photo : JLG Films
PRENOM CARMEN, 1983
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Photo : Everett Collection
DER STRANF DER DINGE, 1982
Dir. Wim Wenders
Photo : Impress Own/United Archives via Getty Images
DIE BLEIERNE ZEIT, 1981
Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Photo : Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection
GLORIA, 1980 (joint winners)
Dir. John Cassavetes
Photo : Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection
ATLANTIC CITY, 1980, (joint winners)
Dir. Louis Malle
Photo : ullstein bild/Getty Images
DIE ARTISTEN IN DER ZIRKUSKUPPEL: RATIOS, 1968
Dir. Alexander Kluge
Photo : Everett Collection
BELLE DE JOUR, 1967
Dir. Luis Buñuel
Photo : Everett Collection
LA BATTAGLIA DI ALGERI, 1966
Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Photo : Everett Collection
VAGHE STELLE DELL’ORSA, 1965
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Photo : Everett Collection
IL DESERTO ROSSO, 1964
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Photo : Everett Collection
LE MANI SULLA CITTA, 1963
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Photo : Archive Photos/Getty Images
CRONACA FAMILIARE, 1962
Dir. Valerio Zurlini
Photo : Everett Collection
IVANOVO DETSTVO, 1962
Dir. Andrej Tarkovskij
Photo : Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
L’ANNEE Derniere A MARIENBAD, 1961
Dir. Alain Resnais
Photo : Franco London Films
LE PASSAGE DU RHINE, 1960
Dir. André Cayatte
Photo : Everett Collection
LA GRANDE GUERZZA 1959
Dir. Mario Monicelli
Photo : Everett Collection
GENRTALE DELLA ROVERE, 1959
Dir. André Cayatte
Photo : ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images
MUHO-MATSU NO ISSHO, 1958
Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Photo : Everett Collection
APARAJITO, 1957
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Photo : Everett Collection
ORDET, 1955
Dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer
Photo : Everett Collection
ROMEO AND JULIET, 1954
Dir. Renato Castellani
Photo : Everett Collection
FORBIDDEN GAMES, 1952
Dir. René Clément
Photo : Everett Collection
JUSTICE EST FAITE, 1950
Dir. André Cayatte
Photo : Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
MANON, 1949
Dir. Henry-Georges Clouzot
Photo : Everett Collection
THE SOUTHERNER, 1946
Dir. Jean Renoir
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