The festival's second finest prize, the Silver Lion or the grand jury prize, went to the talked-about "The voice of Hind Rajab", a film about a six-year-old's gripping fate in war-torn Gaza.
Director Kaouther Ben Hanias is behind the true story of the little Palestinian girl who lay in a car with her family shot dead and tried to call for help.
No Scandinavian feature films were nominated in the main competition this year, but Swedish Lovisa Sirén received a prize for best short film in the Horizons section. "Utan Kelly" depicts the emotional chaos that arises when a young mother is forced to separate from her small child for the first time.
Hoping for more films
When Sirén accepted the prize on stage, she said it's about the longing for a child and is a very personal story.
I get the feeling that many were touched by the film and felt that it was an honest story, says Lovisa Sirén to TT.
What does such a prize mean to you as a director?
A lot. I hope I get more chances to make more films, that it will make it easier for me in the future.
She will participate in another film festival with "Utan Kelly", but which one is not official yet.
Armani was praised
During the award ceremony, the recently deceased fashion designer Giorgio Armani – who has dressed several film stars over the years – was also noted with a newly established prize.
Earlier in the week, German film director Werner Herzog and 92-year-old Hollywood icon Kim Novak were awarded the honorary prize Golden Lion.
The jury work during the 82nd film festival in Venice has been led by American director Alexander Payne.
Golden Lion: "Father mother sister brother" by Jim Jarmusch
Grand Jury Prize: "The voice of Hind Rajab" by Kaouther Ben Hanias
Best direction: Benny Safdie for "The smashing machine"
Best screenplay: Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand for "À pied d’œuvre" ("At work")
Best actress: Xin Zhilei in "The sun rises on us all"
Best actor: Toni Servillo in "La Grazia"
Jury's special prize: "Below the Cloud" by Gianfranco Rossi
Honorary Lion: Werner Herzog and Kim Novak
