Lion of the Future

Lion of the Future
2025 recipient: Nastia Korkia
Awarded forBest first feature film
CountryItaly
Presented byVenice Film Festival
First award1999
Currently held byShort Summer by Nastia Korkia (2025)

The Lion of the Future, also known as Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut Film, is an official award of the Venice Film Festival. Inspired by Cannes' Caméra d'Or, it is awarded to the best first feature film work presented in any section of the festival.

Among its winners are: Abdellatif Kechiche, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Brady Corbet, Xavier Legrand and Alice Diop.

Winners

1990s

Year English Title Original Title Director Production Country
1999 This Is the Garden Questo è il giardino Giovanni Maderna Italy

2000s

Year English Title Original Title Director Production Country
2000 Poetical Refugee La Faute à Voltaire Abdellatif Kechiche France
2001 Bread and Milk Kruh in mleko Jan Cvitkovic and Danijel Hocevar Slovenia
2002 Two Friends Due Amici Spiro Scimone and Francesco Sframeli Italy
Roger Dodger Dylan Kidd United States
2003 The Return Возвращение Andrey Zvyagintsev Russia
2004 The Great Journey Le Grand Voyage Ismaël Ferroukhi France, Morocco, Bulgaria, Turkey
2005 13 Tzameti Géla Babluani France
2006 Khadak Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens Belgium, Germany, Holland
2007 The Zone La zona Rodrigo Plá Spain, Mexico
2008 Mid-August Lunch Pranzo di ferragosto Gianni Di Gregorio Italy
2009 Clash Engkwentro Pepe Diokno Philippines

2010s

Year English Title Original Title Director Production Country
2010 Majority Cogunluk Seren Yüce Turkey
2011 Là-bas: A Criminal Education Là-bas - Educazione criminale Guido Lombardi Italy
2012 Mold Küf Ali Aydin Turkey, Germany
2013 White Shadow Noaz Deshe Italy, Germany, Tanzania
2014 Court Chaitanya Tamhane India
2015 The Childhood of a Leader Brady Corbet United States, United Kingdom, Hungary, Sweden, France, Canada, Belgium
2016 The Last of Us آخر واحد فينا Ala Eddine Slim Lebanon, Qatar, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates
2017 Custody Jusqu'à la garde Xavier Legrand France
2018 The Day I Lost My Shadow يوم أضعت ظلي‎ Soudade Kaadan Syria, Lebanon, France, Qatar
2019 You Will Die at Twenty ستموت في العشرين Amjad Abu Alala Sudan, France, Egypt, Germany, Norway

2020s

Year English Title Original Title Director Production Country
2020 Listen[1] Ana Rocha de Sousa United Kingdom, Portugal
2021 Immaculate[2] Imaculat Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark Romania
2022 Saint Omer[3] Alice Diop France
2023 Love Is a Gun[4] 愛是一把槍 Lee Hong-chi Hong Kong, Taiwan
2024 Familiar Touch[5] Sarah Friedland United States
2025 Short Summer[6] Nastia Korkia Germany, France, Serbia

Other winners

Special mentions

Year English Title Original Title Director Production Country
1999 Bye Bye Africa Mahamat-Saleh Haroun Chad, France
2004 Saimir Francesco Munzi Italy
2006 7 Years 7 Ans Jean-Pascal Hattu France

References

  1. ^ "Venice Film Festival 2020 Winners: Nomadland Takes Golden Lion, Vanessa Kirby Is Best Actress". IndieWire. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  2. ^ "French Abortion Drama 'Happening' Wins Venice Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Venice Film Festival Winners: Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell Take Top Acting Prizes – Updating Live". Deadline Hollywood. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  4. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy; Ntim, Zac (9 September 2023). "Venice Winners: Golden Lion Goes To Yorgos Lanthimos For 'Poor Things'; Hamaguchi, Sarsgaard, Spaeny Also Score — Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  5. ^ Wiseman, Nancy Tartaglione,Andreas (7 September 2024). "Venice Winners: Pedro Almodóvar's 'The Room Next Door' Wins The Golden Lion; Also Wins For Nicole Kidman, Brady Corbet, 'I'm Still Here' & More". Deadline. Retrieved 7 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (6 September 2025). "Venice Film Festival – Jim Jarmusch's 'Father Mother Sister Brother' Is Golden Lion Winner; 'Voice Of Hind Rajab' Takes Grand Jury Prize; Benny Safdie Best Director For 'The Smashing Machine'". Deadline. Retrieved 6 September 2025.