started · updated
Venice Film Festival 2026 unveils program, AI documentary and first Elle Women awards
The 83rd Venice Film Festival will run from 2 September to 12 September 2026. The full program was presented on 23 July by Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and festival artistic director Alberto Barbera. Italian competition sections include the Orizzonti lineup – ‘Una storia’, ‘La città dei vivi’, ‘La ragazza con la Leica’ and ‘I figli della scimmia’ – and five other Italian titles such as Nanni Moretti’s ‘Succederà questa notte’. The festival will screen ‘Be Brave’, the first Italian feature documentary made entirely with artificial intelligence, about Diesel founder Renzo Rosso, as well as a documentary on the Oasis band.
A new Elle BNP Paribas Women in Venice gala is scheduled for 3 September during the festival, presenting seven awards to women filmmakers and industry professionals. The event aims to highlight female contributions to cinema. Critics note that only one female director is in competition and that women now comprise about 35 % of the festival’s board, according to former David di Donatello president Piera Detassis. Vintage photographs of past festival stars underscore the event’s historic glamour.
The festival, hosted on the Lido in Venice, remains a key cultural moment for the international film calendar, drawing industry attention and public interest worldwide.
Entities
Alberto Barbera · Elle BNP Paribas Women in Venice · Elle Italy · Nanni Moretti · Piera Detassis · Pietrangelo Buttafuoco · Renzo Rosso · Venice Film Festival · Venice Film Festival
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The festival will screen ‘Be Brave’, the first Italian feature documentary made entirely with artificial intelligence. www.lospecialegiornale.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] Elle BNP Paribas Women in Venice will award seven women on 3 September. www.elle.com · www.spotandweb.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Only one female director is selected for competition at the Venice Film Festival. www.italianopercaso.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Women now make up about 35 % of the Venice Film Festival board, according to Piera Detassis. www.italianopercaso.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] Four Italian films are in the Orizzonti competition: ‘Una storia’, ‘La città dei vivi’, ‘La ragazza con la Leica’ and ‘I figli della scimmia’. www.lospecialegiornale.it · www.artribune.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 83rd Venice Film Festival will run from 2 to 12 September 2026. www.lospecialegiornale.it · www.vogue.mx · www.artribune.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Vintage photographs show celebrities such as Dakota Johnson, Penélope Cruz and the Gallagher brothers attending the festival. www.vogue.co.uk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The festival program was presented on 23 July by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and Alberto Barbera. www.lospecialegiornale.it