At the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 10, 2026, the Lido hosted high-profile premieres including Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s documentary Naza, alongside Serena Rossi receiving the Campari Passion for Film award ahead of Mario Martone’s out-of-competition feature Scherzetto.
While festival programmers curated a potent mix of competition heavyweights and provocative non-fiction work, the day underscored how major international festivals continue to serve as vital global platforms for urgent contemporary discourse, balancing industry prestige with pressing geopolitical narratives.
The Bottom Line
- High-Stakes Competition: Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor debuted Naza in the main competition, turning festival spotlights toward documented military systems in the Middle East.
- <Italian Showcase: Serena Rossi was honored with the Campari Passion for Film award at the Sala Grande, preceding the screening of Mario Martone’s Scherzetto, adapted from Domenico Starnone’s novel and starring Toni Servillo.
- Platform Evolution: High-profile non-fiction projects and streaming-backed experiments, including Valerio Vestoso’s mockumentary series Peccato for HBO Max, highlighted the changing distribution models intersecting with traditional festival circuits.
Political Urgency Meets the Lido: The Impact of Naza
Directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the documentary focuses on the ongoing conflict in Palestine. Shot during nighttime hours across the rooftops of Tel Aviv, the film examines systems connected to military operations in Gaza.
The selection of Naza reinforces Alberto Barbera’s opening statement defining cinema as an extraordinary instrument for engaging with contemporary reality. Rather than relying on superficial chronology, the festival’s curation leverages the power of narrative and documentary craftsmanship to force audiences and industry buyers alike to confront real-world conflicts head-on.
Honoring Craft: Serena Rossi and Mario Martone’s Scherzetto
According to ANSA, actress Serena Rossi received the Campari Passion for Film award, an accolade recognizing her contributions to contemporary cinema.
The honor served as a direct lead-in to the screening of Scherzetto, directed by Mario Martone and presented in the Venice Open out-of-competition section. Based on Domenico Starnone’s novel, the film features Toni Servillo in a tense generational clash between a grandfather and his spirited five-year-old grandson, played by Lorenzo Perrotta, alongside a cast including Rossi, Leonardo Lidi, and Giovanni Ludeno.
Expanding Horizons: From Streaming Mocks to Fashion Biopics
The September 10 schedule also mapped out the shifting boundaries between traditional theatrical showcases and prestige television formats. Valerio Vestoso’s Peccato, selected as the sole series presentation for this edition of the Mostra, brought a tragicomic mockumentary approach to HBO Max. Co-written by and starring Emanuela Fanelli, the series imagines an aging, reclusive actress living in rural Valle d’Aosta in the year 2049, featuring a sprawling ensemble cast including Stefano Accorsi, Alessandro Borghi, and Sabrina Ferilli.
Meanwhile, the non-fiction slate expanded into the fashion sector with Francesco Carrozzini’s Be Brave, a documentary portrait of Renzo Rosso, founder of Diesel and the OTB group. Tracing the brand’s 1996 aggressive expansion into the United States denim market on Lexington Avenue, the project generated early industry discussion due to its extensive integration of artificial intelligence in production.
| Title | Director / Creator | Category / Section | Key Cast / Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naza | Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor | Venezia 83 (In Competition) | Documentary on military systems in Gaza |
| Scherzetto | Mario Martone | Venice Open (Out of Competition) | Toni Servillo, Lorenzo Perrotta, Serena Rossi |
| Un peu avant minuit | Nicolas Pariser | Venezia 83 (In Competition) | Melvil Poupaud, Chiara Mastroianni, Anaïs Demoustier |
| Peccato | Valerio Vestoso | Venice Open (Series / HBO Max) | Emanuela Fanelli, Stefano Accorsi, Alessandro Borghi |
| Be Brave | Francesco Carrozzini | Venice Open (Documentary) | Renzo Rosso / Diesel brand history |
The Broader Cultural Aftermath
Drop a comment below: Do you think festival juries should prioritize geopolitical documentaries like Naza for top prizes, or should traditional narrative features claim the Golden Lion?
