Chloé Zhao's 'Nomadland' Wins The Golden Lion At The 2020 Venice Film Festival, Vanessa Kirby Takes Best Actress

With a much different than usual Venice Film Festival now come to a close, it’s time for the annual awards ceremony that marks the beginning of the awards season, whatever that means in this strange year. The festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion, was just awarded to Chloé Zhao‘s “Nomadland.” The film received a very positive reception out of TIFF earlier this week, and also charmed our own Jessica Kiang who wrote: “a wise, beautiful film summoned up entirely from things authentically seen, felt, and thought.”

READ MORE: Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ Is As Vast As The American Landscape It Travels [Venice Review]

“Nomadland” now joins the prestigious, and at times strange group of films that have won the Golden Lion, which includes last year’s winner, “Joker,” as well as “Roma,” “The Shape of Water” and “From Afar.”

‘Pieces of a Woman’: A Stunningly Complete Portrait of A Woman Under The Influence Of Grief [Venice Review]

The jury, led by president Cate Blanchett, included “The Lodge” director Veronika Franz, “The Souvenir” director Joanna Hogg, writer Nicola Lagioia, “Barbara” filmmaker Christian Petzold, actor Matt Dillon, and actress Ludivine Sagnier.

READ MORE: 2020 Venice Film Festival Preview: All The Must-See Films To Watch

The jury also awarded the Best Actress award to Vanessa Kirby, whose role in “Pieces of a Woman” has gotten enormous praise, including in our own review. We’ll most likely hear a lot more discussion surrounding the winners as TIFF comes to a close and the official awards race begins — but for now, here’s the list of in-competition winners.

COMPETITION

Golden Lion: “Nomadland,” Chloé Zhao

Grand Jury Prize: “New Order,” Michel Franco

Silver Lion for Best Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, “Wife of a Spy”

Best Actress: Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman”

Best Actor: Pierfrancesco Favino, “Padrenostro”

Best Screenplay: “The Disciple,” Chaitanya Tamhane

Special Jury Prize: “Dear Comrades,” Andrei Konchalovsky

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor: Rouhollah Zamani, “Sun Children”

HORIZONS

Best Short Film: “Entre tú y milagros,” Mariana Safron

Best Screenplay: “I Predatori,” Pietro Castellitto

Best Actor: Yahya Mahayni, “The Man Who Sold His Skin”

Best Actress: Khansa Batma, “Zanka Contact”

Special Jury Prize: “Listen,” Ana Rocha de Sousa

Best Director: Lav Diaz, “Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)”

Best Film: “The Wasteland,” Ahmad Bahrami

LION OF THE FUTURE

Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: “Listen,” Ana Rocha de Sousa