There's a Venetian island that, every September, becomes the center of the film world.
From September 2 to 12, 2026, the Lido di Venezia hosts the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, organized by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera. For eleven days, the Palazzo del Cinema once again becomes the heart of the year's most anticipated screenings and red carpets, in a setting that combines the charm of the lagoon with the prestige of one of the world's most important film events.
Venice is a city lived and crossed by water, and the Festival is no exception: private motorboats and reserved vessels mark every transfer, from the historic center's hotels to the Lido, to arrivals across the lagoon for the most glamorous evenings. For this distinctive and complex type of mobility, Balsamo can rely on a dedicated team specialized in water transfers, able to coordinate arrivals, screening times and evening engagements with the same precision reserved for road transfers. This isn't simply an additional service, but genuine 360-degree support that accompanies the client throughout the entire event — from planning transfers to managing the unexpected — with the same level of care we offer in any other city in the world.
The international jury will be chaired by actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal, while the opening and closing nights will be hosted by Greta Scarano and Nicolas Maupas. The 2026 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement will be awarded to George Clooney, in a ceremony that will bring one of the most beloved stars of all time to the Lido's red carpet and that, as every year, will draw the attention of the international press.
Founded in 1932, Venice is the oldest film festival in the world, the mother of all festivals born after it. This year's pre-opening film will be a restored classic, Tinto Brass's "Deadly Sweet" (1967), screened in a remastered version that anticipates the official program and pays tribute to Italy's long cinematic tradition.