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
 Mrinal Sen , Indian filmmaker
 Callisto Cosulich , Italian film critic, author, journalist and screenwriter
 Anjelica Huston , American actress
 Miriam Mafai , Italian journalist, author and politician
 Antonio Skármeta , Chilean writer
 Hulya Ucansu

Official Sections

In Competition

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 Set Design: Profundo carmesí by Paz Alicia Garciadiego
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

References

External links 

Venice Film Festival 1996 Awards on IMDb

Venice
V
Venice Film Festival
Film
Venice
August 1996 events in Europe
September 1996 events in Europe