The awards season limps along as the pandemic cripples the usually vibrant festivities that usually begin with the Venice Film Festival.  Truth be told, this time every year, I would be at the Toronto Film Festival but alas, we need to stay safe.  But we still have some winners to congratulate!  So a big congrats to the Venice Film Festival winners!  Especially for best director Lav Diaz, my fellow Filipino took home the trophy for “Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan).”  Here’s the complete list of the winners:

COMPETITION

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor: Rouhollah Zamani, “Sun Children”

Special Jury Prize: “Dear Comrades,” Andrei Konchalovsky

Best Screenplay: “The Disciple,” Chaitanya Tamhane

Coppa Volpi for Best Actor: Pierfrancesco Favino, “Padrenostro”

Coppa Volpi for Best Actress: Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman”

Silver Lion for Best Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, “Wife of a Spy”

Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: “New Order,” Michel Franco

Golden Lion for Best Film: “Nomadland,” Chloé Zhao

HORIZONS

Best Short Film: “Entre tú y milagros,” Mariana Safron

Best Screenplay: “I Predatori,” Pietro Castellitto

Best Actor: Yahya Mahayni, “The Man Who Sold His Skin”

Best Actress: Khansa Batma, “Zanka Contact”

Special Jury Prize: “Listen,” Ana Rocha de Sousa

Best Director: Lav Diaz, “Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)”

Best Film: “The Wasteland,” Ahmad Bahrami

LION OF THE FUTURE

Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: “Listen,” Ana Rocha de Sousa

VIRTUAL REALITY COMPETITION

Best VR: Michelle and Uri Kranot, “The Hangman at Home: An Immersive Single User Experience”

Best VR Experience: Kiira Benzing, “Finding Pandora X”

Best VR Story: Fan Fan, “Killing a Superstar”