Venice Film Festival Sets Competition Jury: Kaouther Ben Hania & Johnnie To Among Those Under Prez Maggie Gyllenhaal
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- Maggie Gyllenhaal will serve as President of the International Jury for the Venezia 83 Competition at the Venice Film Festival.
- The six-person jury includes Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, English composer and artist Daniel Blumberg, Italian professor Francesco Casetti, French director Xavier Giannoli, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, and Hong Kong director and producer Johnnie To.
- The festival runs September 2-12, 2026, organized by La Biennale di Venezia under Artistic Director Alberto Barbera.
- Jury prizes include the Golden Lion for Best Film, Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize, Silver Lion for Best Director, Coppa Volpi for Best Actress and Best Actor, Special Jury Prize, Award for Best Screenplay, and the "Marcello Mastroianni" Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress — with no joint awards permitted.
- Films widely tipped for the 2026 Venice competition include Bunker, Wild Horse Nine, and Bucking Fastard.
- The festival is grappling with a retrenchment from major studios, a parallel the source draws to the situation at Cannes.
Why it matters: The Venezia 83 jury under Gyllenhaal will deliberate September 2-12, 2026, as Venice — like Cannes — faces a retrenchment from major studios. Tipped competition titles Bunker, Wild Horse Nine, and Bucking Fastard represent the auteur-driven slate filling the gap left by studio pullback.
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