Venice Film Festival 2026 (Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica)

The Venice International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica) is the world’s oldest film festival, established in 1932. In 2026 it runs from 26 August to 5 September on the Lido island, a short vaporetto ride from central Venice. The festival is organised by La Biennale di Venezia and attracts major competition films alongside directors’ weeks, retrospectives, and a substantial industry programme. Its top prize, the Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro), is among the most prestigious awards in world cinema.

The competition and programme

The main competition (Concorso) typically includes 20—22 films competing for the Golden Lion and Silver Lion (Grand Jury Prize). The Out of Competition and Venice Premieres sections include high-profile studio releases and documentaries. Parallel sections include Orizzonti (international art cinema), Biennale College Cinema (microbudget films), and the Venice Classics section (restored film retrospectives).

The festival’s awards ceremony takes place at the Palazzo del Cinema on the final weekend. Red carpet premieres in the days before are the main public-facing spectacle of the festival.

Attending as a public visitor

The Venice Film Festival is not exclusively an industry event. Public accreditation (accréditation presse/industria) grants access to most screenings, but general public tickets are also sold for individual screenings on the day. The Palazzo del Cinema box office opens early on the morning of each screening day; queues form well before opening. Popular competition films and high-profile Out of Competition screenings sell out quickly.

Day passes and multi-day passes for the public are available; check labiennale.org/en/cinema for 2026 ticket and accreditation information, which is typically published 4—6 weeks before the festival opens.

The Sala Grande at Palazzo del Cinema holds around 1,000 seats; the Sala Darsena and PalaBiennale are secondary venues used for larger screenings and repeat showings.

Getting to the Lido

The Lido di Venezia is reached by vaporetto (waterbus) from Venice. From Venice Piazzale Roma or the railway station, take the vaporetto Line 1 or Line 2 to Lido/Santa Maria Elisabetta (journey time around 20—25 minutes from Piazzale Roma). Water taxis are faster but significantly more expensive. During the festival, extra vaporetto services run on the main routes; check ACTV schedules in advance.

The Lido has its own hotels, restaurants, and bicycle hire. Staying on the Lido rather than central Venice avoids the vaporetto commute and gives quicker access to the festival venues, though central Venice accommodation tends to be more varied.

For a longer Venice stay, see our Venice city guide and our guide to 3 days in Venice.