# 53rd Venice International Film Festival

The 53rd annual Venice International Film Festival was held between 28 August to 7 September 1996.
Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski was the Jury President of the main competition. The Golden Lion winner was Michael Collins directed by Neil Jordan.

## Jury
### Main Competition

The following people comprised the 1996 jury:
* Roman Polanski, Polish filmmaker - Jury President
* Paul Auster, American writer and director
* Souleymane Cissé, Malian filmmaker
* Callisto Cosulich, Italian film critic, author, journalist and screenwriter
* Anjelica Huston, American actress
* Miriam Mafai, Italian journalist, author and politician
* Mrinal Sen, Indian filmmaker
* Antonio Skármeta, Chilean writer
* Hulya Ucansu

## Official Sections
### In Competition

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production country |
| Basquiat | Basquiat | Julian Schnabel | United States |
| Brigands | Brigands, chapitre VII | Otar Iosseliani | France, Russia, Italy, Switzerland, Georgia |
| Buddha Bless America | 太平天國 | Wu Nien-jen | Taiwan |
| Carla's Song | Carla's Song | Ken Loach | United Kingdom, Spain, Germany |
| Chronicle of a Disappearance | سجل اختفاء | Elia Suleiman | Israel, Palestine |
| Deep Crimson | Profundo carmesí | Arturo Ripstein | Mexico |
| For Ever Mozart | For Ever Mozart | Jean-Luc Godard | France, Switzerland |
| The Funeral | The Funeral | Abel Ferrara | United States |
| Ilona Arrives with the Rain | Ilona llega con la lluvia | Sergio Cabrera | Colombia, Italy, Spain |
| Men, Women: A User's Manual | Hommes, femmes, mode d'emploi | Claude Lelouch | France |
| Michael Collins | Michael Collins | Neil Jordan | Ireland, United Kingdom, United States |
| The Ogre | Der Unhold | Volker Schlöndorff | France, Germany, United Kingdom |
| Party | Party | Manoel de Oliveira | France, Portugal |
| Ponette | Ponette | Jacques Doillon | France |
| Sacred Silence | Pianese Nunzio, 14 anni a maggio | Antonio Capuano | Italy |
| Vesna Goes Fast | Vesna va veloce | Carlo Mazzacurati | Italy, France |

### Out of Competition

* Sleepers by Barry Levinson (United States) - Opening film
* Third Millenium Stories by Francesco Maselli (Italy)
* Shine by Scott Hicks (Australia)
* The Portrait of a Lady by Jane Campion (United Kingdom)

### Venetian Nights

* Bound by The Wachowskis (United States)
* The Fan by Tony Scott (United States)
* Independence Day by Roland Emmerich (United States)
* Bambola by Bigas Luna (Spain-Italy-France)
* Last Man Standing by Walter Hill (United States)
* Multiplicity by Harold Ramis (United States)
* Szamanka by Andrzej Zulawski (Poland)
* The Frighteners by Peter Jackson (Australia)
* True Blue by Ferdinand Fairfax (United Kingdom)

### Window on Images

* Zone Franche by Paul Vecchiali (France)
* The Age of Possibilities by Pascale Ferran (France)
* Chronicle of a Disappearance by Elia Suleiman (Israel, United States, Germany, France)
* Méfie-toi de l'eau qui dort by Jacques Deschamps (France)
* Hard Core Logo by Bruce McDonald (Canada)
* Metamorphosis of a Melody by Amos Gitai (Israel)
* De nieuwe moeder by Paula van der Oest (Netherlands)
* Escoriandoli by Flavia Mastrella, Antonio Rezza (Italy)
* Guy by Michael Lindsay-Hogg (United States)
* Polygraph by Robert Lepage (Canada)
* Love and Other Catastrophes by Emma-Kate Croghan (Australia)
* A True Story by Abolfazl Jalili (Iran)

#### Documentaries

* The Games of Love by Frederick Wiseman (France)
* Sei minuti all'alba by Daniele Segre (Italy)
* And the Show Goes On by Mrinal Sen (United Kingdom, France, India)
* Yang Yin Genger in Chinese Cinema by Stanley Kwan (Hong Kong)
* Bophana: A Cambodian Tragedy by Rithy Panh (France, Cambodia)
* Die Frucht deines Leibes by Barbara Albert (Austria)
* A Trick of Light by Wim Wenders (Germany)
* Le convoi by Patrice Chagnard (France)
* La vita a volo D'Angelo by Roberta Torre (Italy)
* Marco Melani, ladro e frate di cinema by Enrico Ghezzi, Carmelo Marabello (Italy)

### Overtaking Lane

* Swingers by Doug Liman (United States)
* Kolya by Jan Svěrák (Czech Republic)
* The Dress by Alex van Warmerdam (Netherlands)
* Intimate Relations by Philip Goodhew (Canada)
* Fistful of Flies by Monica Pellizzari (Australia)
* Lea by Ivan Fíla (Czech Republic)
* Livers Ain't Cheap by James Merendino (United States)
* Swallowtail Butterfly by Shunji Iwai (Japan)
* Ni d'Ève, ni d'Adam by Jean-Paul Civeyrac (France)

### Italian Cinema Week

* Isotta by Maurizio Fiume (Italy)
* Albergo Roma by Ugo Chiti (Italy)
* We Free Kings by Sergio Citti (Italy)
* Acquario by Michele Sordillo (Italy)
* The Border by Franco Giraldi (Italy)
* My Generation by Wilma Labate (Italy)
* Voci nel tempo by Franco Piavoli (Italy)

### Special Screenings

* Fantoosh by Morag McKinnon (United Kingdom)
* Nitrato d'argento by Marco Ferreri (Italy)
* Go Now by Michael Winterbottom (United Kingdom)
* Festival by Pupi Avati (Italy)
* Grace of My Heart by Allison Anders (United States)
* Pole Pole by Massimo Martelli (Italy)
* How the Toys Saved Christmas by Enzo D'Alò (Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg)
* Forgotten Silver by Peter Jackson (Australia)
* The Gates of Heaven by Vittorio De Sica (Italy)
* Small Wonders by Allan Miller (United States)
* Loach in Nicaragua by Marlisa Trombetta (Italy)
* Long Fliv the King by Leo McCarey (United States)
* Flaming Fathers by Leo McCarey (United States)

## Official Awards
### Main Competition

* Golden Lion: Michael Collins by Neil Jordan
* Grand Special Jury Prize: Brigands by Otar Iosseliani
* Golden Osella:
** Best Original Screenplay: Profundo carmesí by Paz Alicia Garciadiego
** Best Original Music: David Mansfield for Profundo carmesí
** Best Production Design: Profundo carmesí by Mónica Chirinos e Marisa Pecanins
* Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Liam Neeson for Michael Collins
** Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Actor: Chris Penn for The Funeral
* Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Victoire Thivisol for Ponette
* Honorable Mention: Jan Sverák for Kolya

### Luigi De Laurentis Award for a Debut Film

* Chronicle of a Disappearance by Elia Suleiman

### Career Golden Lion

* Robert Altman
* Michèle Morgan
* Vittorio Gassman
* Dustin Hoffman

## Independent Awards
### The President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal

* Ken Loach for Carla's Song

### FIPRESCI Prize

* Alex van Warmerdam for De jurk
* Pascale Ferran for L'âge des possibles
* Jacques Doillon for Ponette

### OCIC Award

* Jacques Doillon for Ponette
* Abel Ferrara for The Funeral

### OCIC Special Award

* La porta del cielo
** Honorable Mention: Ivan Fila for Lea

### UNICEF Award

* Volker Schlöndorff for Der Unhold

### CICT-IFTC Award

* Small Wonders by Allan Miller

### Pasinetti Award

* Best Film: The Portrait of a Lady by Jane Campion
* Best Actor: Fabrizio Bentivoglio for Pianese Nunzio, 14 anni a maggio
* Best Actress: Tereza Zajickova for Vesna va veloce

### Pietro Bianchi Award

* Roberto Perpignani
* Carlo Lizzani

### FEDIC Award

* Voci nel tempo by Franco Piavoli

### Little Golden Lion

* Claude Lelouch for Hommes, femmes, mode d'emploi

### Elvira Notari Prize

* Monica Pellizzari for Fistful of Flies

### Sergio Trasatti Award

* Jacques Doillon for Ponette

### 'CinemAvvenire' Award

* Best Film on the Relationship Man-Nature: Jacques Deschamps for Still Waters Run Deep
* Best First Work: Jacques Deschamps for Still Waters Run Deep

### Kodak Award

* Ugo Chiti for Albergo Roma

### AIACA Award

* Stefano Gigli for Il fratello minore