The 69th Annual Venice International Film Festival Film Festival Aug 29–Sep 8, 2012

Held in August and September as part of the Venice Biennale, the annual Venice Film Festival is the oldest international film festival and has been bringing some of the most innovative independent films to Venice, Italy since 1932.

The lineup for the Venice Film Festival includes the Venezia 69 world premiere presentation of feature films, the Orizzonti presentation of new trends in world cinema, and the Venice Classics featuring restored classical cinematic works.

The Venice Film Festival presents three main awards: The Golden Lion for best film, the Silver Lion for best director, and the Volpi Cup for best actor or actress. Other awards include the Orizzonti Prize for feature length films, the Orizzonti Short Film Prize, and the Orizzonti Medium-Length Film award.

The two-week festival, which celebrates international cinema by both established and emerging talent from 41 countries, has premiered several notable films over its history, including The Black Dahlia, Children of Men, and 21 Grams.

Films are screened in venues in Palazzo del Cinema and Palazzo del Casinò. Tickets and passes to the Venice Film Festival range from €12 to €500.

Throughout the duration of the festival, the bars, clubs, and restaurants around Venice are packed with a who's who list of celebrities, directors, and producers all throwing private parties celebrating the best in independent film.