The Queer Lion (Italian: Leone Queer) is an annual independent prize awarded at the Venice Film Festival, since 2007, to the Best Queer Feature Film.David Opie, "Venice Film Festival: A Guide To Every Queer Lion Award Winner So Far". Into, August 22, 2018. A jury composed of journalists, filmmaker, and artists is usually formed before the festival to assign the winner.
All the movies containing LGBTQ themes presented in any of the sections of the festival (Main Competition, Out of Competition, Orizzonti, Venice Spotlight, Giornate degli Autori, and Settimana Internazionale della Critica) are eligible for the prize.
History
The idea of the Queer Lion comes from a 2003 interview, made by president of CinemArte association Daniel N. Casagrande for monthly magazine Venezia News, to then-Director of the Venice Film Festival Moritz de Hadeln. During the interview, Casagrande asked de Hadeln if the Venice Film Festival would have welcomed an award meant to specifically honor gay-themed movies, the same way Berlin International Film Festival had done 20 years earlier (with Teddy Award). Although the answer was a positive one, the changing of the Festival’s director the following year caused a delay in the development of the project, which was greenlighted by the new director Marco Müller, who declared his will to back and sustain the creation of such a new collateral award.
The prize first winner was American filmmaker Edward Radtke for the drama film The Speed of Life (2007) at the 64th edition.
Among its winners are: Tom Ford, Al Pacino, Stephen Frears, Tom Hooper, and Mona Fastvold.
Winners
2000s Year English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country Ref2007The Speed of LifeEdward RadtkeUnited States"iW NEWS | Venice Fest Showcases Special Lions" . IndieWire, 10 September 2007.2008One Day in a LifeUn Altro PianetaStefano TummoliniItalyRonnie Scheib, "One Day in a Life". Variety, 23 September 2008.2009A Single ManTom FordUnited StatesMichael Jensen, "Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” wins Queer Lion at Venice Film Festival while Colin Firth named Best Actor. Watch Trailer". NewNowNext, 13 September 2009.
2010s Year English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country Ref2010In the FutureEn el FuturoMauro AndrizziArgentinaEric J. Lyman, "'In the Future' wins Venice's Queer Lion". The Hollywood Reporter, 10 September 2010.2011Wilde SaloméAl PacinoUnited States"Al Pacino's 'Wilde Salome' Wins Fifth Queer Lion In Venice". On Top, 11 September 2011.2012The Weight무게Jeon Kyu-hwanSouth KoreaEric J. Lyman, "Venice 2012: Korean Film 'The Weight' Wins Queer Lion Prize". The Hollywood Reporter, 7 September 2012.2013PhilomenaStephen FrearsUnited KingdomEric J. Lyman, "Stephen Frears' 'Philomena' Wins Venice Queer Lion Prize as Fest Unveils First Awards". The Hollywood Reporter, 6 September 2013.2014Summer NightsLes Nuits d'étéMario FanfaniFrance2015The Danish GirlTom HooperUnited StatesItay Hod, "Eddie Redmayne’s ‘The Danish Girl’ Wins Venice’s Queer Lion Award as Oscar Buzz Mounts". TheWrap, 11 September 2015.2016HeartstoneHjartasteinnGuðmundur Arnar GuðmundssonIceland2017Reinventing MarvinMarvin ou la belle éducationAnne FontaineFrance2018JoséCheng LiGuatemala, United StatesGary Goldstein, "Review: ‘José’ explores a gay love story in Guatemala amid an age of uncertainty". Los Angeles Times, 6 February 2020.2019The PrinceEl PrincipeSebastián MuñozChileBoyd van Hoeij, "'The Prince' ('El principe'): Film Review | Venice 2019". The Hollywood Reporter, 10 September 2019.
2020s Year English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country Ref2020The World to ComeMona FastvoldUnited StatesSteve Pond, "‘Nomadland’ Wins Golden Lion Award at Venice Film Festival". TheWrap, 12 September 2020.2021The Last ChapterLa dernière séanceGianluca MatarreseItaly, FranceDavide Abbatescianni, "The 78th Venice Film Festival announces the winners of its parallel awards". Cineuropa, 11 September 2021.2022Skin DeepAus meiner HautAlex SchaadGermanyDavide Abbatescianni, "The 79th Venice Film Festival announces the winners of its parallel awards". Cineuropa, 10 September 2022.2023Housekeeping for BeginnersДомаќинство за почетнициGoran StolevskiPoland, Serbia, Australia, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, United StatesDavide Abbatescianni, "Venice announces the winners of its parallel awards". Cineuropa, 9 September 2023.2024Soul of the DesertAlma del DesiertoMónica Taboada-TapiaColombia, Brazil2025On the RoadEn el CaminoDavid PablosMexico, FranceDavide Abbatescianni, "Venice announces the winners of its parallel awards". Cineuropa, September 6, 2025.2026LondonVictor Di Marco and Márcio PicoliBrazilDavide Abbatescianni, "Venice announces the winners of its parallel awards". Cineuropa, September 12, 2026.Queer Edward IITheo RollasonUnited Kingdom
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