The Silver Lion (, also known as Silver Lion for Best Direction) is an annual award presented for best directing achievements in a feature film in the official competition section of the Venice Film Festival since 1998.
Russian filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky was the most recent winner for DAU (2026), at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.
History The prize has been awarded irregularly and has gone through several changes of purpose. Between 1953 and 1994, the award was given infrequently to a number of films as second prize for those nominated for the Golden Lion. At various times, the Silver Lion has also been awarded for debut films, short films, direction, and writing.
Since 1990, the Silver Lion has been presented to the director of a feature film in the official competition; Martin Scorsese was the first official winner of the award for Goodfellas.
Russian filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky is the only person to receive the award twice, for The Postman's White Nights (2014) and (2016).
Notable winners include: , , , , , , , and .
Silver Lion for Best Direction (1990–present)
1990s Year Director English Title Original Title 1990 1998 1999
2000s Year Director English Title Original Title 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s Year Director English Title Original Title 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020s Year Director English Title Original Title 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026Ilya KhrzhanovskyDAU
Multiple Winners The following individuals received two or more Silver Lion for Best Direction awards:
Number of Wins Director Nationality Films 2 Andrei Konchalovsky Russia The Postman's White Nights (2014) and Paradise (2016)
Defunct Categories Silver Lion Prize (1953–1994) From 1953 to 1957, the Silver Lion was awarded to a number of films nominated for the Golden Lion as a second prize. From 1987 to 1994, the Silver Lion was awarded to one or more films nominated for the Golden Lion. YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)1953Little FugitiveRaymond Abrashkin, Morris Engel, and Ruth Orkin Moulin RougeJohn HustonSadkoСадкоAleksandr PtushkoThérèse RaquinMarcel CarnéUgetsu雨月物語Kenji MizoguchiI VitelloniFederico Fellini1954On the WaterfrontElia KazanSansho the Bailiff山椒大夫Kenji MizoguchiSeven Samurai七人の侍Akira KurosawaLa StradaFederico Fellini1955Le AmicheMichelangelo AntonioniThe Big KnifeRobert AldrichCiske the RatCiske de RatWolfgang StaudteThe GrasshopperПопрыгуньяSamson Samsonov1957White NightsLe Notti BiancheLuchino Visconti1987MauriceJames IvoryLong Live the Lady!Lunga vita alla signora!Ermanno Olmi1988Landscape in the MistΤοπίο στην ομίχληTheo Angelopoulos1989Death of a Tea Master千利休 本覺坊遺文Kei KumaiRecollections of the Yellow HouseRecordações da Casa AmarelaJoão César Monteiro1991The Fisher KingTerry GilliamJ'entends plus la guitarePhilippe GarrelRaise the Red Lantern大紅燈籠高高掛Zhang Yimou1992A Heart in WinterUn cœur en hiverClaude SautetJamón jamónBigas LunaLuxury HotelHotel de luxDan Pița1993Kosh ba koshКош-ба-кошBakhtyar Khudojnazarov1994Heavenly CreaturesPeter JacksonLittle OdessaJames GrayThe BullCarlo Mazzacurati
Silver Lion for Best First Work (1981–1982) YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country1981Do You Remember Dolly Bell? Сјећаш ли се Доли Бел?Emir KusturicaYugoslavia1982SciopènLuciano OdorisioItalyThe Hes CaseDe smaak van waterOrlow SeunkeNetherlands
Silver Lion for Best First Film (1983–1987) YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country1983Sugar Cane AlleyLa Rue Cases-NègresEuzhan PalcyFrance1984SonatineMicheline LanctôtCanada1985DustMarion HänselBelgium, France1986A King and His MovieLa película del reyCarlos SorínArgentina
Silver Lion for Best Screenplay (1990) YearScreenwriterEnglish titleOriginal titleProduction country1990Helle RyslingeSirupDenmark
Silver Lion for Best Short Film (1996–2007) YearOriginal titleDirector1996O Tamaiti Sima Urale1999Portrait of a Young Man DrowningTeboho Mahlatsi2000A Telephone Call for Genevieve SnowPeter Long2001Freunde Jan Krüger2002ClownIrina Evteeva2003NeftMurad Ibragimbekov2004Signe d'appartenanceKamel Cherif2005Xiaozhan Chien-ping Lin2006Comment on freine dans une descente?Alix Delaporte2007Dog AltogetherPaddy Considine
Silver Lion for Revelation (2006) YearEnglish titleOriginal titleDirectorProduction country2006 Golden Door NuovomondoEmanuele CrialeseItaly
References
See also Academy Award for Best Director
External links La Biennale di Venezia official website