The Gotham Awards honour the Venice Film Festival

The Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia and its artistic director Alberto Barbera will receive the Gotham Impact Salute at the 2022 Gotham Awards ceremony, to be held in New York on November 28th this year, to honour their major impact on independent U.S. film.

The announcement was made on Saturday July 9^th by Jeff Sharp, Executive Director of the Gotham Film & Media Institute of New York, during the conference in Venice celebrating the 90^th anniversary of the Venice International Film Festival. Every year the Gotham Awards provide acknowledgement to the most ground-breaking independent cinema and the finest television series, as the first major awards show of the fall season. 

“It is a privilege to announce that this year’s Gotham Awards Impact Salute will honour The Venice International Film Festival, the oldest and one of the most influential film festivals in the world which is organized by La Biennale di Venezia and its artistic director Alberto Barbera. – stated Jeff Sharp – In addition to premiering some of the greatest films each year, Venice has had a major impact upon the U.S. independent film industry over the course of many decades, helping to elevate the work of filmmakers such as Darren Aronofsky, Sofia Coppola, Todd Haynes, Spike Jonze, Regina King, Ang Lee, Terrence Malick, Kimberly Peirce, Kelly Reichardt, George A. Romero, Gus Van Sant and Julie Taymor, with world premiere screenings.

These filmmakers and their films have subsequently gone on to receive numerous awards as part of our annual celebration of independent film at the Gotham Awards. Furthemore, in recognition of our longstanding collaboration with the Biennale College – Cinema, we feel that we have a unique role in recognizing the impact of this extraordinary legacy of excellence.”

Under Italian critic Alberto Barbera’s artistic direction – explains a note from the Gotham Film & Media Institute – the festival has hosted the world premieres of such award-winning films as Boys Don’t Cry, Being John Malkovich, Memento, Birdman, Spotlight, La La Land, The Shape of Water, The Favourite, Roma, Joker, Nomadland, One Night in Miami and The Lost Daughter. Other notable premieres have included My Own Private Idaho, Far From Heaven, Frida and Brokeback Mountain.

“The festival – continues the note – was founded in Italy in August 1932 and is organized by La Biennale di Venezia, one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world, which is overseen by President Roberto Cicutto. The 79^th edition is set to take place from August 31 to September 10 2022”.