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Venice Golden Lion Winners, Ranked

The Venice Film Festival's top prize — the Golden Lion, awarded by the oldest film festival in the world — every winner in our library, ranked by composite canon score rather than by festival year.

Award results are facts and are listed in full. The score chip is our composite canon score.

  1. 1
    The Battle of Algiers1966 · Gillo Pontecorvo · Italy / Algeria · drama, war
    4.69

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1967 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1966 · Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #22

  2. 2
    Ordet1955 · Carl Theodor Dreyer · Denmark · drama
    4.06

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1955 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1955 #2 · Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #30

  3. 3
    Brokeback Mountain2005 · Ang Lee · United States · romance, drama
    3.49

    BAFTA Best Film winner 2006 · Venice Golden Lion winner 2005 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2005

  4. 4
    Forbidden Games1952 · René Clément · France · war, drama
    3.46

    BAFTA Best Film winner 1954 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1953 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1952

  5. 5
    Rashomon1950 · Akira Kurosawa · Japan · drama, crime
    3.38

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1951 · Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #20 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #41

  6. 6
    Roma2018 · Alfonso Cuarón · United States / Mexico · drama
    3.24

    BAFTA Best Film winner 2019 · Venice Golden Lion winner 2018 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2018

  7. 7
    Vagabond1985 · Agnès Varda · France · drama
    3.12

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1985 · Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #41 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #101

  8. 8
    Nomadland2020 · Chloé Zhao · United States · drama
    3.00

    Oscar Best Picture winner 2020 · BAFTA Best Film winner 2021 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2021 #1

  9. 9
    Atlantic City1980 · Louis Malle · Canada / United States / France · romance, drama, crime
    2.92

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1980 · Sarris's annual top 10 1981 #1 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 1981

  10. 10
    Last Year at Marienbad1961 · Alain Resnais · France / Italy / Germany · drama
    2.91

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1961 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1964 #3 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #169

  11. 11
    The Green Ray1986 · Éric Rohmer · France · romance, drama
    2.88

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1986 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1986 · Sarris's annual top 10 1986 #1

  12. 12
    Red Desert1964 · Michelangelo Antonioni · France / Italy · drama, romance
    2.83

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1964 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #169 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1964 #6

  13. 13
    Belle de Jour1967 · Luis Buñuel · France / Italy · drama
    2.82

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1967 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1967 #2 · Sarris's annual top 10 1968 #1

  14. 14
    The Shape of Water2017 · Guillermo del Toro · United States / Mexico · thriller, fantasy, drama
    2.77

    Oscar Best Picture winner 2017 · Venice Golden Lion winner 2017 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2018 #3

  15. 15
    A City of Sadness1989 · Hou Hsiao-Hsien · Taiwan, China · drama
    2.77

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1990 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1989 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #157

  16. 16
    Joker2019 · Todd Phillips · United States · crime, thriller, drama
    2.75

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2019 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 2019 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2019

  17. 17
    Hana-bi1997 · Takeshi Kitano · Japan · crime, drama
    2.68

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1997 #1 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 1998 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1997

  18. 18
    Still Life2006 · Jia Zhangke · China / Hong Kong, China · drama
    2.50

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2007 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 2006 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2007 #2

  19. 19
    Au revoir les enfants1987 · Louis Malle · France / Italy / Germany · drama, war
    2.43

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1987 · César Best Film winner 1988 · Vatican film list

  20. 20
    Justice Is Done1950 · André Cayatte · France · drama
    2.33

    Berlin Golden Bear winner 1951 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1950 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1954 #7

  21. 21
    The Story of Qiu Ju1992 · Zhang Yimou · China · comedy, drama
    2.30

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1992 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1993 #2 · Sarris's annual top 10 1993 #1

  22. 22
    Poor Things2023 · Yorgos Lanthimos · United States / United Kingdom / Ireland · thriller, fantasy, sci-fi
    2.18

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2023 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2023 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2024 #4

  23. 23
    Short Cuts1993 · Robert Altman · United States · comedy, drama
    2.16

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1993 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1994 #3 · Siskel's annual top 10 1993 #2

  24. 24
    Gloria1980 · John Cassavetes · United States · crime, drama
    2.12

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1980 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1981 #5 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1981 #10

  25. 25
    Il generale della Rovere1959 · Roberto Rossellini · Italy / France · drama
    1.91

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1959 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1960 #4 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  26. 26
    The Return2003 · Andrey Zvyagintsev · Russia · drama, thriller
    1.83

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2003 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2004 #3 · Empire 500 (2008) #360

  27. 27
    The Circle2000 · Jafar Panahi · Iran / Switzerland / Italy · drama
    1.72

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2000 · Film Comment year-end poll 2001 #12 · Kehr's annual top 10 2001 #5

  28. 28
    The Wrestler2008 · Darren Aronofsky · United States / France · drama
    1.72

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2008 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2009 #5 · Film Comment year-end poll 2008 #23

  29. 29
    Vera Drake2004 · Mike Leigh · United Kingdom / France · drama
    1.69

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2004 · Film Comment year-end poll 2004 #7 · Ebert's annual top 10 2004 #3

  30. 30
    Not One Less1999 · Zhang Yimou · China · drama
    1.67

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1999 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2000 #3 · Sarris's annual top 10 2000 #7

  31. 31
    Manon1950 · Henri-Georges Clouzot · France · romance, drama, crime
    1.63

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1949 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1950 #2

  32. 32
    Sandra1965 · Luchino Visconti · Italy · drama
    1.63

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1965 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1965 #2

  33. 33
    Before the Rain1994 · Milcho Manchevski · North Macedonia / France / United Kingdom · drama
    1.63

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1994 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1996 #9 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  34. 34
    Aparajito1956 · Satyajit Ray · India · drama
    1.60

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1957 · Letterboxd Top 250 #204 · Criterion Collection spine #784

  35. 35
    Three Colours: Blue1993 · Krzysztof Kieślowski · France / Poland / Switzerland · drama
    1.56

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1993 · Criterion Collection spine #588 · Hoberman's annual top 10 1994 #9

  36. 36
    All the Beauty and the Bloodshed2022 · Laura Poitras · United States · documentary, biography
    1.52

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2022 · Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #6 · Criterion Collection spine #1210

  37. 37
    Romeo and Juliet1954 · Renato Castellani · United Kingdom / Italy · drama, romance
    1.50

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1954 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1954 #3

  38. 38
    First Name: Carmen1983 · Jean-Luc Godard · France / Switzerland · drama
    1.50

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1983 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1984 #3

  39. 39
    Faust2011 · Alexander Sokurov · Russia / Germany · drama, fantasy
    1.50

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2011 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2012 #9 · Film Comment year-end poll 2013 #34

  40. 40
    Lust, Caution2007 · Ang Lee · China / Taiwan, China / United States · crime, thriller, drama
    1.43

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2007 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2008 #4

  41. 41
    The Room Next Door2024 · Pedro Almodóvar · Spain · drama
    1.43

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #4

  42. 42
    Tomorrow Is My Turn1960 · André Cayatte · France / Germany / Italy · romance, drama
    1.39

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1960 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1961 #5

  43. 43
    The Woman Who Left2016 · Lav Diaz · Philippines · drama
    1.39

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2016 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2017 #5

  44. 44
    Family Diary1962 · Valerio Zurlini · Italy / France · drama
    1.36

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1962 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1964 #6

  45. 45
    Close to Eden1991 · Nikita Mikhalkov · Soviet Union / France · drama, adventure, romance
    1.36

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1991 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1992 #6

  46. 46
    Rickshaw Man1958 · Hiroshi Inagaki · Japan · comedy, action
    1.33

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1958 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 1958 #7

  47. 47
    Marianne and Juliane1981 · Margarethe von Trotta · Germany · drama
    1.32

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1981 · Sarris's annual top 10 1982 #2

  48. 48
    The State of Things1982 · Wim Wenders · Portugal / Germany / United States · drama
    1.29

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1982 · Kehr's annual top 10 1983 #6 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  49. 49
    Vive L'Amour1994 · Tsai Ming-liang · Taiwan, China
    1.19

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1994 · Sarris's annual top 10 1996 #5

  50. 50
    The Magdalene Sisters2002 · Peter Mullan · United Kingdom / France / Ireland · drama
    1.19

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2002 · Film Comment year-end poll 2003 #38

  51. 51
    Ivan's Childhood1962 · Andrei Tarkovsky · Soviet Union · drama, war
    1.16

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1962 · Criterion Collection spine #397

  52. 52
    Hands Over the City1963 · Francesco Rosi · Italy / France · drama
    1.16

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1963 · Criterion Collection spine #355

  53. 53
    Monsoon Wedding2001 · Mira Nair · India / Italy / France · comedy, romance, drama
    1.16

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2001 · Criterion Collection spine #489

  54. 54
    A Year of the Quiet Sun1984 · Krzysztof Zanussi · Poland / Italy / West Germany · war, romance, drama
    1.13

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1984 · Roger Ebert's Great Movies

  55. 55
    A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence2014 · Roy Andersson · Sweden / Norway / France · comedy, drama
    1.11

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2014 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  56. 56
    The Great War1959 · Mario Monicelli · France / Italy · comedy, drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1959

  57. 57
    Artists Under the Big Top: Perplexed1968 · Alexander Kluge · Germany · drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1968

  58. 58
    The Legend of the Holy Drinker1988 · Ermanno Olmi · France / Italy · drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1988

  59. 59
    Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead1990 · Tom Stoppard · United Kingdom · comedy, drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1990

  60. 60
    Cyclo1995 · Trần Anh Hùng · France / Vietnam · crime, drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1995

  61. 61
    Michael Collins1996 · Neil Jordan · United States / United Kingdom / Ireland · biography, drama, war
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1996

  62. 62
    The Way We Laughed1998 · Gianni Amelio · Italy · drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1998

  63. 63
    Happening2002 · Audrey Diwan · France · drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2021

  64. 64
    Lebanon2009 · Samuel Maoz · Israel / France / Germany · drama, war
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2009

  65. 65
    Somewhere2010 · Sofia Coppola · United States / Italy · comedy, drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2010

  66. 66
    Pietà2012 · Kim Ki-duk · South Korea · drama, thriller, crime
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2012

  67. 67
    Sacro GRA2013 · Gianfranco Rosi · Italy / France · documentary
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2013

  68. 68
    From Afar2015 · Lorenzo Vigas · Venezuela / Mexico · drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2015

  69. 69
    Father Mother Sister Brother2025 · Jim Jarmusch · United States / Ireland / France · comedy, drama
    1.00

    Venice Golden Lion winner 2025

The oldest festival's top prize

Venice is the elder — founded in 1932, the oldest film festival in the world — and its Golden Lion has a habit of arriving first at historical turning points. The 1951 Lion for Kurosawa's Rashomon is arguably the single most consequential festival decision ever made: it introduced Japanese cinema to the West, launched the art-house import circuit, and established the festival prize as the mechanism by which national cinemas enter the world canon. Half a century later, Venice reinvented itself again as the launchpad for autumn prestige — the 2017 and 2018 Lions (The Shape of Water, Roma) both went on to dominate the Oscar season, making Venice the modern awards corridor's front door.

Reading the Lion against the canon

The Lion increasingly predicts institutional consecration: its winners keep converting to Academy recognition, so the prize doubles as an early signal of which films the broader measurement apparatus will eventually ratify. On this page every Golden Lion winner in our library appears with our composite canon score attached, so Venice's verdicts can be read against the wider cross-list canon — which Lions the rest of the apparatus went on to endorse, and which remain the festival's own minority reports.