From the Lido premieres to
private palazzi, the 83rd Venice International Film Festival turned the city
into a meeting point for cinema, fashion and international culture.
For eleven days in September, Venice lived to
the rhythm of cinema. The 83rd Venice International Film Festival, organised by
La Biennale di Venezia from 2 to 12 September 2026, brought world premieres,
filmmakers, actors and international industry professionals to the Lido. Beyond
the screening rooms, its red carpets once again became major fashion stages,
where cinema met couture, jewellery and beauty before the world’s cameras.
But Venice during the festival is larger than
the official programme. After the premieres, the city moves into another
rhythm: dinners, receptions, brand presentations and private galas spread from
the Lido to historic hotels and palazzi. This parallel social calendar has
become part of the attraction of Venice, bringing together film professionals
with designers, models, entrepreneurs, collectors and luxury houses.
Among the closing-week gatherings was La
Dolce Vita, the Royal Gentlemen Gala Dinner and Congress Awards, held on 11
September at Ca’ Sagredo. The evening brought the festival atmosphere to the
Grand Canal, with Thomas Misse, Marek Harmony and Congress Awards founder Anna
Stukkert gathering guests from cinema, fashion, jewellery, music, philanthropy,
beauty and international business.
Fashion ran naturally through the evening.
International model Azon joined guests including Azul Coral, Caroline Azmy and
Christina Duxa, while Lidia Weber represented Oliver Weber Collection as
Official Jewellery Partner and presented the house’s Dolce Vita Collection.
Fragrance and beauty entered the mix through LABOR8, Young Voyage, LEDEN8 and
Cosmetic Tailors, turning the gala into a snapshot of the industries that
increasingly live alongside contemporary cinema.
The evening also had a distinctly Venetian
cultural element. Congress Awards honoured Alisa Roever for her philanthropic
work and Venetian actor Alessandro Bressanello, whose career connects the
city’s theatrical traditions with international cinema. Live performances by
Alina Zamalieva, Manana Palagashvili, Wheelman Duo and Rezeda Kalimullina
carried the programme into the night.
This is increasingly the full portrait of
Venice during festival season. The premieres remain at its heart, but around
them exists another world of fashion, jewellery, private gatherings, creative
collaborations and international encounters. La Dolce Vita belonged to that
second Venice: not competing with the red carpet, but continuing the
conversation after it.