Jim Jarmusch capped off Venice Saturday night with a quiet yet powerful victory: “Father Mother Sister Brother” took home the Golden Lion. The triptych family drama—spanning New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris—stars Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, and Tom Waits in a poetic, humanistic exploration of memory and kinship. Though not widely expected to take the prize, the win speaks to Jarmusch’s enduring craftsmanship and emotional resonance (read our review).
READ MORE: 2025 Venice Film Festival Preview: 23 Must-See Films To Watch
However, the announcement ignited immediate backlash. Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which received a record-setting 22-minute standing ovation, had seemed like the clear frontrunner (read our review). Some observers were stunned when it was awarded only the runner-up Grand Jury Prize. The reaction was fierce: many critics on social media accused Venice of playing it safe at a moment when moral urgency demanded boldness.
Alexander Payne, head of the jury, hadn’t helped quell the mood. At the festival’s opening press conference, he dodged questions and said he was “unprepared to comment” when asked about Gaza—a response widely interpreted as evasive and cowardly.
When asked next about a rumor circulating online that a juror had threatened to quit over disagreements about the top prize, Payne tapped down the talk: “One of my jurors threatened to quit? … No. I think we know … not to believe everything we read online.”
Jarmusch, by contrast, struck a tone of humility in his acceptance speech, telling the audience that “all of us here who make films are not motivated by competition. But I truly appreciate this unexpected honor. … I’m learning each time.”
Ben Hania’s film wasn’t just impactful—it was an act of cinematic activism. She remarked after the premiere: “When I heard the first time the voice of Hind, there was something more than her voice. It was the very voice of Gaza asking for help … It was anger and helplessness that gave birth to this movie.”
Ben Hania explained that the impulse for her film came from hearing Hind Rajab’s desperate plea, saying, “When I heard the first time the voice of Hind, there was something more than her voice. It was the very voice of Gaza asking for help … It was anger and helplessness that gave birth to this movie.”
To deepen the sense of rupture, several high-profile films were also conspicuously absent from the winners’ list—Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice,” Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Anne Lee,” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia.” Their omission only heightened the sense of misfire amid Venice’s charged atmosphere.
Beyond the Golden Lion, standout winners included Benny Safdie, who took home the Silver Lion for Best Director for “The Smashing Machine,” a raw and unflinching account of MMA fighter Mark Kerr—played by Dwayne Johnson (read our review). Safdie, visibly gratified, said: “I never thought I’d be up here. To be here among the giants… it just blows my mind,”
Acting honors went to Toni Servillo, who won Best Actor for his commanding turn in “La Grazia,” and to Xin Zhilei, who earned Best Actress for her luminescent performance in “The Sun Rises on Us All.” The Best Screenplay award was given to Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand for the structurally inventive “À pied d’œuvre.”
Full Winners List – Venice Film Festival 2025
- Golden Lion (Best Film): “Father Mother Sister Brother” — Jim Jarmusch
- Grand Jury Prize (Silver Lion): “The Voice of Hind Rajab” — Kaouther Ben Hania
- Silver Lion for Best Director: Benny Safdie — “The Smashing Machine”
- Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Xin Zhilei — “The Sun Rises on Us All”
- Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Toni Servillo — “La Grazia”
- Best Screenplay: “À pied d’œuvre” — Valérie Donzelli & Gilles Marchand
- Special Jury Prize: “Below the Clouds” (“Sotto le nuvole”) — Gianfranco Rosi
- Marcello Mastroianni Award (Emerging Performer): Luna Wedler — “Silent Friend”
- Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement: Werner Herzog & Kim Novak
Rodrigo Perez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Playlist, which he launched in 2008. He has worked in entertainment journalism since 2000, including at MTV, and has written for SPIN, IndieWire, Pitchfork, Complex, Magnet, and various music, film, and entertainment publications over the past two decades.
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