GOLDEN LION - VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Ironically, all the European dictators love movies, and so, as they say, and D. A. Dunaevskij generals, should frankly admit that in the development of the film festival movement in Europe is their great merit. Benito Mussolini, anxious departure from the country′s intellectuals, too, made great effort to organize the Film Forum, which could compete with the American "Oscar". Therefore, Anthony Mariani, Director General of the Venetian art festival, was asked to develop such a program, which would include an international competition achievements in cinema.

In 1932, the organizers of the Venice Film Festival, who were under the personal supervision of the Duce, attracted the participation of a 9 countries which have submitted for the competition 29 films and 14 short films, mainly from France, Germany, the USSR and the United States. In the first film festival in Venice, the Soviet film "Road to Life" was included in the list of the best. The Italians could not be here to win any awards, and the founders of the festival so much upset that the "forgotten" even received the main prize - the Cup of Mussolini. "

But the first European film festival still attracted wide attention, and the next film festival in 1934 was already more representative: it was attended by 17 countries and 40 feature films.

Photo — «Golden Lion -
venice Film Festival»

Then "Mussolini Cup" was awarded the Soviet Union for a better presentation of the program, which included such films as "Jolly Fellows", "Thunderstorm", "St. Petersburg′s night", "Ivan", "Vaseline," " ; New Gulliver "and" Outskirts ". In subsequent years Venice Film Festival did his best to keep at least the outer democracy, and therefore a huge celebration evoked sympathy for the regime of Benito Mussolini, many simple-minded movie fans. Venice ′bribed′ democratic society, presenting the awards and the British, and American, and Soviet films. However, with the consolidation of Nazi Germany′s closest ally, Italy, Festival in Venice was gradually transformed into obsessive promotion of "new order", and already in 1936, Italy and Germany were to "pull the blanket over himself. " If some awards and awarded films of democratic countries, the "Cup of Mussolini′s" Get only the Italian and Germanic movies.

The scandal, simmering beneath the surface, erupted in 1938. Then the jury of the Venice Film Festival under pressure from Germany delegation to the last minute changed his mind, and the grand prize was divided between the Italian band "Pilot" Luciano Serra, and a German documentary film "Olympia", although the margins were told that the award should have been Americans .

Photo — «Golden Lion -
venice Film Festival»

Italian film was beneath criticism, and "Olympia" - reporting on the Olympics, held in 1936 in Berlin - many caused frank irritation propaganda of Nazism, while striking an exquisite style and an interesting operating rooms. In addition, the scandal deepened, and because of Leni Riefenstahl, the author of "Olympia" - pet and protege of A. Hitler.

The British and the Americans have officially declared that it no longer will participate in the Venice Film Festival. Burst forth and complained of delegations of democratic countries, and it became clear that the festival movement has reached a stalemate. Soon World War II began, and naturally, in 1939-1945 years the festival has been conducted.

But now if the Berlin Film Festival is considered the political, Cannes - the most international, then Venice - the most elitist. It is held on the resort island of Lido, with its tourists and holidaymakers, hotels, casinos and bars in the evening lights of the Adriatic lighthouses and yellow buoys lagoons, behind which stands a fairy-tale city of wonder. So it seems that its low banks just about fit condottieri and overseas ships sailing with a tribute to the "Most Serene Republic of Saint Mark.

Photo — «Golden Lion -
venice Film Festival»

" The emblem of Venice - a golden winged lion - since 1980, became the main prize of the Festival.

Every year in the month of September, more than two weeks, the wind of the Adriatic waving national flags of the "Palazzo del Chinema" - the Palace cinema. Evening hall of the Palace is filled the most prominent film personalities, famous actors and actresses came from different countries, and numerous journalists from newspapers around the world. And the crowd of faithful fans of the movie crowd barrier at the dazzlingly lighted entrance . . .

In the competitive program involved full-length, short, children′s and documentary films. Only in 1962, and in some other years, the Venice Film Festival was a non-competitive, and then the organizers have repeatedly varied the timing and nature of film festivals, as well as a system of rewards and forms of communication with the film festival exhibitions of other art forms.

The competition involved full-length feature films, did not show outside the country of manufacture and not participating in other film festivals. "Golden Lion of St. Mark" is awarded for best film, but at the XXIII Festival one lion was not enough, and hastily cast his running mate.

Photo — «Golden Lion -
venice Film Festival»

The main prize jury awarded when the first great film director Andrei Tarkovsky′s Ivan′s Childhood "and the Italian film" Family Chronicle, "directed by Valerio Zurlini. In its decision, the jury emphasized that Tarkovsky′s prize is awarded for a poetic image of deeply dramatic fate of the child in the military trying times, and V. Zurlini - the penetration of large image feelings experienced by people reminiscing about the painful past.

Besides the main prize at the Venice Film Festival are presented as the "Silver Lion of St. Mark", "Volpi Cup (for best male and female roles), awards for best experimental film, the best debut prize city of Venice - the first director′s work and other . Among the informal awards festival - prize Pazinetti (National Union of Journalists) and the prize of the Italian Federation of cinema clubs.