Venice Film Festival 2025 concludes with global highlights

Toni Servillo poses with photographers in Venice, Italy, 6 Sept., 2025.
Reuters

The 82nd Venice International Film Festival wrapped up Saturday with a glamorous closing ceremony, celebrating cinematic achievements worldwide and showcasing films from countries including Azerbaijan.

The festival’s prestigious Golden Lion for best film went to acclaimed American independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch for 'Father Mother Sister Brother'. The win marks a significant accolade for Jarmusch, a long-revered figure in the film industry.

Benny Safdie received the Silver Lion for best director for 'The Smashing Machine', highlighting his solo directorial efforts beyond the Safdie Brothers duo.

The September 6th ceremony featured international stars and filmmakers walking the red carpet, concluding a widely praised edition of the world’s oldest film festival.

One of the most talked-about films was Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s 'The Voice of Hind Rajab', a moving drama set in Gaza.

It portrays a 6-year-old Palestinian girl’s desperate struggle for survival after losing her family and earned a 21-minute standing ovation, one of the festival’s longest in history, positioning it as a strong contender for top honors.

The acclaimed Azerbaijani director Hilal Baydarov's film 'Sermon to the Void' was also presented in the 'Out of Competition - Fiction' section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

Sermon to the Void was praised for its conceptual depth and aesthetic quality, presenting Azerbaijani literature, philosophy, and folklore to an international audience. 

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