THE VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, ORGANIZED BY ‘LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA’, IS THE WORLD’S OLDEST FILM EVENT AND ONE OF ITS GREATEST GLOBAL REPRESENTATIVES
THE ALTOARAGONESE FESTIVAL RECOGNIZES ITS WORK IN PROMOTING CINEMA AND CULTURAL DIALOGUE, BLENDING ENTERTAINMENT, GLAMOUR, AND INDUSTRY; IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS ITS SPECIAL DEDICATION TO PRESERVING AND HONORING CINEMA HISTORY
THE AWARD WILL BE PRESENTED DURING THE 53RD EDITION OF THE OSCENSE FESTIVAL, WHICH IN 2025 HAS ITALY AS ITS ‘COUNTRY OF HONOR’
‘La Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica’ of ‘La Biennale di Venezia’ will be awarded the Pepe Escriche Prize during the 53rd Huesca International Film Festival. The Italian festival is one of the most important in the world and also the oldest, boasting a total of 81 editions. Since its inception in 1932, it has become a major cultural reference worldwide. In 2024 alone, it sold nearly 100,000 tickets and accredited approximately 14,000 industry professionals—figures that underscore its artistic and industrial significance.
“The Pepe Escriche Award aims to build bridges between cultures, and the Venice Film Festival is one of the greatest representatives in this regard. It is an artistic event that brings together filmmakers from all over the world every year. Not only that, but it also gives them the opportunity to present their work to hundreds of general and specialized media outlets, as well as a massive audience that fills the theaters,” explained Estela Rasal, director of the Oscense festival.
The award ceremony will take place between June 6 and 14, during the Huesca-based festival. Representatives from the Mostra’s team will attend the event at the Teatro Olimpia to receive a trophy designed by Isidro Ferrer: a knife inspired by Luis Buñuel’s famous film Un chien andalou, with a blade designed to resemble a strip of celluloid.
The Pepe Escriche Award was established in 2009 in memory of the founder of the Altoaragonese festival, José María Escriche. Alongside the Ciudad de Huesca Carlos Saura Award and the Luis Buñuel Award, it forms part of the trio of honors presented annually by the longest-running film event in Aragón. Since its creation and through the association Oscacine, the award has recognized the work of institutions such as the San Antonio de los Baños Film School, the Morelia International Film Festival, the Spanish Film Archive, the Ibermedia Program, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain, the Bergman Chair of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media (CIMA), the Cervantes Institute, Ventana Sur, and the Clermont-Ferrand Festival last year.
THE OLDEST FILM FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD
Palazzo del cinema (Credits La Biennale di Venezia – Foto ASAC, ph Jacopo Salvi)
The Venice International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica) is the oldest in the world and one of the most prestigious. First held in 1932, following an idea by then-Biennale di Venezia president Giuseppe Volpi, sculptor Antonio Maraini, and Luciano De Feo, the festival quickly gained popularity, becoming an annual event by 1935. Today, with 81 editions completed, it remains a major film event, showcasing a program of top-tier works and bringing some of the most successful contemporary directors and actors to the red carpet at the Venice Lido. It continues the tradition of combining an artistically valuable program with the signature glamour that has always defined the event.
Officially recognized by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), the festival’s primary goal is to promote the dissemination of international cinema in all its artistic, entertainment, and industrial forms, fostering a spirit of freedom and dialogue. One of its sections is dedicated to restoring and revaluing classic films, contributing to a deeper understanding of film history.
Its top prize is the Golden Lion, which in its most recent edition was awarded to Pedro Almodóvar’s film The Room Next Door. The award has also recognized works by major contemporary filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, Darren Aronofsky, Ang Lee, Sofia Coppola, Alfonso Cuarón, and Chloé Zhao, as well as legendary figures like Luis Buñuel, Akira Kurosawa, Luchino Visconti, Jean-Luc Godard, and Agnès Varda.
Another of its most prestigious awards is the Volpi Cup, given for the best acting performances. Past winners include Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Brad Pitt, Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve, Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren, Burt Lancaster, and Shirley MacLaine, among many others.
