Unexpectedly, American indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch clinched the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival with Father Mother Sister Brother. The film, a thoughtful exploration of familial bonds, unfolds in three parts.
Despite receiving positive reviews for its gentle humor, the film was not a top contender for the festival’s highest honor. The frontrunner was The Voice of Hind Rajab, a gripping true story about the tragic death of a young Palestinian girl during the Gaza conflict.
Tunisia’s Kaouther Ben Hania took home the Silver Lion as a runner-up for this impactful film.
Set across New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris, Father Mother Sister Brother boasts a stellar cast, including Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat.
Each segment gently portrays domestic scenes where minor interactions and silences reveal the generational tensions within families.
“We filmmakers are driven by passion, not competition. This unexpected honor means a lot,” said Jarmusch, renowned for his unique, low-budget films like Down by Law from the 1980s.
In other awards, Italy’s Toni Servillo won best actor for his role as a tired president nearing the end of his term in La Grazia, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
China’s Xin Zhilei was awarded best actress for her performance in The Sun Rises On Us All, a drama by Cai Shangjun exploring themes of sacrifice and unresolved emotions between estranged lovers.
The Venice festival, a key event in the awards season, often predicts Oscar favorites, with many premieres here securing over 90 Oscar nods and nearly 20 wins in the past four years.
Gaza Takes Center Stage
Though Venice is famed for its glamour and minimal political focus, the 2025 festival saw films spotlighting pressing issues, notably the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
Jarmusch expressed concern over his distributor’s financial ties to Israeli military-linked companies during his film’s unveiling.
The Voice of Hind Rajab, featuring real audio of a young girl’s cries amid Israeli gunfire, became a crowd favorite, securing a 24-minute standing ovation at its debut.
“Cinema can’t bring Hind back or undo the horror against her. But it can amplify her voice across boundaries,” said Ben Hania. “Her voice will persist until justice is served.”
The best director award went to Benny Safdie for The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as MMA pioneer Mark Kerr.
“Being here among past and present giants is mind-blowing,” said Safdie, known for co-directing with his brother Josh.
The special jury prize went to Italy’s Gianfranco Rosi for his documentary “Below the Clouds,” depicting life in Naples amid natural disasters.
Netflix productions, including Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein adaptation, and Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, left without awards.
Similarly, Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice and Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia with Emma Stone, despite strong reviews, did not win.
The main jury, led by US director Alexander Payne, included filmmakers Stéphane Brizé, Maura Delpero, Cristian Mungiu, Mohammad Rasoulof, and actresses Fernanda Torres and Zhao Tao.
