Venue
Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, Lido di Venezia, Veneto, Italy
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Venice International Film Festival guide
Premieres and red carpets on the Lido.
In short
The Mostra on the Lido is the oldest film festival in the world and an early stop in the awards season. It usually runs from late August into early September, though the 2027 dates had not been announced by October 2026. Buy public tickets online once the programme appears and book rooms early.
The Venice International Film Festival, the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica, is the oldest film festival in the world. It was first held in 1932 as part of La Biennale di Venezia, which still runs it, and for close to two weeks at the turn of August and September it takes over the Lido, the long barrier island between the lagoon and the Adriatic.
The centre of it all is the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi, where the competition films have their premieres and the Golden Lion is awarded on the closing night. Autumn awards campaigns often start here, which is why the red carpet draws as many photographers as it does.
The Mostra is not only for the industry. Members of the public can buy tickets to many screenings, watch arrivals from behind the barriers outside the Palazzo and spend the rest of the day on a quiet island a short boat ride from Venice.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Where: Venice, Italy
Venue: Palazzo del Cinema
Held: Every year
Type of event: Cultural Events, Arts Festivals, Film Festivals
Currency: Euro (€ EUR)
Time zone: UTC+1, UTC+2 from late March to late October
Language: Italian
Map
Close to the venue
- Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) Attraction · 3.8 km
- Santa Maria della Salute Attraction · 3.8 km
- St. Mark's Basilica Attraction · 3.9 km
- Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square) Attraction · 3.9 km
- Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel Hotel · 3.8 km
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Tickets, ID and security checks
Security at the Palazzo del Cinema is tight on premiere nights. Keep these to hand:
- Tickets
- on your phone and ideally printed as well, matched to the right hall and time.
- ID
- a passport or ID card, as checks are common.
- Small bag
- large bags slow you down at the checks and may not be allowed in.
- Boat ticket
- an ACTV multi-day pass saves queuing at the jetty every morning.
Planning a day on the Lido
The festival area is compact, but the days run long.
- Check the programme the evening before, as screenings and times can change.
- Arrive early for anything popular; seats are not held after the start.
- Rent a bicycle to move along the Lido between screenings and the beach.
- Carry water and sun protection for waiting outside in early September heat.
- Leave time for the last boats back to Venice after evening screenings.
What happens on the day
- Opening Wednesday
Opening ceremony
The opening film premieres in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema.
- First week
Competition premieres
Red-carpet arrivals most evenings on the Lungomare Marconi.
- Second week
Repeat screenings
Public tickets for films already reviewed become easier to find.
- Closing Saturday
Awards night
The jury announces the Golden Lion and other prizes.
Public tickets and where to stay
Public tickets go on sale through the La Biennale website once the programme is published, usually a few weeks before opening. Repeat screenings of competition films are easier to get than the first gala showing, and the reviews are already out by then, so you can pick with more confidence.
Decide early whether to stay on the Lido or in the historic centre. The Lido puts you a walk or bike ride from the Palazzo; Venice proper gives you the city in the evenings at the cost of a boat crossing each way. Our Italy travel page has more for extending the trip.
The festival's history since 1932
The first Mostra was held on the terrace of the Hotel Excelsior on the Lido in 1932, a sideline to the Biennale's art exhibition. It became an annual event within a few years, and the Palazzo del Cinema was built for it in the late 1930s.
Since then the Golden Lion has gone to directors from every continent. In recent decades Venice has also become a launch pad for films that go on to the big autumn and winter awards, which has raised the profile of the red carpet and filled the Lido with studios and press each September.
Getting there
Flying in
Venice Marco Polo Airport is the nearest airport, with Alilaguna water buses and water taxis across the lagoon.
By train
Trains arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia, the station on the edge of the historic centre.
To the Lido
ACTV vaporetto lines run from Venice to the Lido S.M.E. stop; from there buses and a walk along the seafront reach the Palazzo del Cinema.
On the Lido
The island has roads and buses, and bicycles are an easy way to get around.
Where to stay during the festival
The Lido has a limited number of hotels and they fill early with festival guests. Most visitors stay in the historic centre of Venice and cross by vaporetto, or on the mainland at Mestre, which is cheaper but adds a train and a boat to every trip.
If you plan several evening screenings, staying on the Lido saves the late crossing home.
Venice
Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel5-star hotel
No reviews yet
from$1,300.00/ night
- Internet – Wifi
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
8 Rooms available
Book Now
Weather and what to pack
Early September on the Lido is usually late-summer weather: warm afternoons, cooler evenings by the sea and the odd thunderstorm.
Afternoons waiting outside the Palazzo del Cinema can be hot, so carry water and shade.
Worth packing
- Smart evening clothes for gala screenings
- Comfortable shoes for walking and bridges
- Sunscreen and a hat for daytime queues
- A light layer for evenings on the water
- A refillable water bottle
- A power bank for e-tickets
Car hire in Venice
Airport transfer to Venice International Film Festival
Met at arrivals at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and driven door to door to Palazzo del Cinema.
- Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) → Palazzo del Cinema
- 27 km · 2 hours
Restaurants and food in Italy
Places to eat in Italy before or after the celebrations.
Cantina Do Mori
Sestiere San Polo 429, 30125 Venice, Italy
Cuisine:VenetianCicchetti
- Dine-in
- Bar
- Counter seating
L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Via Cesare Sersale 1/7, 80139 Naples, Italy
Cuisine:Neapolitan pizzaPizzeria
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina
Via dei Giubbonari 21, 00186 Rome, Italy
Cuisine:RomanItalian
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
- Counter seating
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
Yes. Alongside the industry and press accreditations, La Biennale sells tickets to the public for many screenings, including repeat showings of competition titles. They are sold through the official Biennale website, and premieres with the cast present go fastest.
The Leone d'Oro is the festival's top prize, awarded by the international jury to the best film in the main competition. The lion comes from the emblem of the Republic of Venice.
No. It takes place on the Lido, a separate island across the lagoon from the historic centre. You reach it by vaporetto or water taxi, which is part of the appeal.
It began in 1932, which makes it the oldest film festival still running. It is part of La Biennale di Venezia, the institution that also stages the art and architecture exhibitions.
The Biennale often has its art or architecture exhibition open at the Giardini and Arsenale in early September, and the Regata Storica is usually held on the Grand Canal on the first Sunday of the month.
Films are generally screened in their original language with Italian and English subtitles, which makes the programme accessible to most international visitors.
Phones and ordinary cameras are fine on the public side of the barriers. Professional photography from the press positions needs official accreditation, which is issued to working media only.
Booking
From outside, yes. Crowds gather behind the barriers along the Lungomare Marconi in front of the Palazzo del Cinema to watch arrivals for the evening premieres. Getting a spot near the front means arriving hours early.
Yes. Rooms on the Lido are limited and fill months ahead with industry guests. Many visitors stay in the historic centre or on the mainland and travel over by boat each day.
Stay & facilities
Daytime screenings have none worth worrying about. Evening gala screenings in the Sala Grande expect smart dress, so pack something more formal if you have tickets for one.