Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother Bags Golden Lion At Venice Film Festival | Outlook India
In a surprise win at the Venice Film Festival 2025, U.S. indie director Jim Jarmusch took home the Golden Lion for his film Father Mother Sister Brother. The three-part story explores the complicated relationships between parents and their adult children.
The film wasn’t the critics’ top pick going into the festival, but it beat strong competition, including the widely favored The Voice of Hind Rajab by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, which instead won the Silver Lion. That film tells the heartbreaking real-life story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed during the Gaza war, using her actual recorded pleas for help.
Star Power and Praise for Jarmusch’s Film
Set across New Jersey, Dublin, and Paris, Father Mother Sister Brother features an impressive cast including Cate Blanchett, Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling, Mayim Bialik, Vicky Krieps, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat.
The Guardian’s chief film critic called it “a film to savour.” Accepting the award, Jarmusch said:
“We don’t make films to compete, but this is something I truly appreciate—this unexpected honour.”
Other Big Winners
- Best Actor: Italy’s Toni Servillo for La Grazia, where he plays a tired president nearing the end of his mandate.
- Best Actress: China’s Xin Zhilei for The Sun Rises on Us All, a moving drama about love, guilt, and sacrifice.
- Best Director: Benny Safdie for The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as MMA pioneer Mark Kerr.
- Special Jury Award: Italy’s Gianfranco Rosi for his black-and-white documentary Below the Clouds, set in earthquake-hit Naples.
A Politically Charged Festival
Venice, usually known as the most glamorous of major film festivals, took a more political turn this year. Films addressing global conflicts, especially the Israel–Gaza war, stood out. The Voice of Hind Rajab earned a record-breaking 23-minute standing ovation, with audiences visibly shaken by its raw storytelling.
Accepting her award, Ben Hania said:
“Cinema cannot bring Hind back, but it can preserve her voice and make it resonate across borders.”
Jury’s Final Word
While some questioned why The Voice of Hind Rajab didn’t win the top prize, jury president Alexander Payne explained that both films were equally treasured, and denied rumors of jury disputes.
Despite some high-profile entries from Netflix and renowned directors like Guillermo del Toro and Park Chan-wook, several films left empty-handed, reminding audiences that Venice always has its surprises.
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