Venice International Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival on the Lido: how public tickets worked in 2026, what the red carpet lets you see for free, and which boats reach the Lido.
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Venice International Film Festival in short
The Venice Film Festival takes place on the Lido in early September; the 2026 edition ran 2 to 12 September and the 2027 dates are expected around 1 to 11 September. Public screenings are sold only online, from mid-August, and in 2026 Sala Grande tickets cost €18 to €50 depending on the time. Watching the red carpet from the pedestrian area is free. Boats 1, 6, 4.1 and 5.2 run to Lido S. Maria Elisabetta.
What happens when
- Mid-August
- Online ticket sales for the public open after the programme is published. In 2026 sales opened on 11 August at 3pm CEST, with new availability from 24 August at 3pm.
- Festival days
- Screenings run through the day in the Sala Grande, PalaBiennale and smaller halls. Entry is allowed up to 10 minutes before the start.
- Evenings
- Red carpet walks outside the Palazzo del Cinema, shown on a giant screen and streamed online.
Where to see the stars and films
- Free
The red carpet
Anyone can watch from the pedestrian area, with no ticket. A Sala Grande ticket does not guarantee red carpet access.
No ticket
- Biggest hall
Sala Grande
Single tickets cost €18 to €50 in 2026 depending on the time, with concessions for under 26s and over 65s. Formal attire is recommended for gala screenings.
€18 to €50
- Cheaper halls
Sala Corinto, Astra and Volpi
€10 full price and €7 concession in 2026.
From €10
The Venice International Film Festival guide
When it runs and where
The festival is held on the Lido di Venezia, the island across the lagoon from Venice. The 83rd edition ran from 2 to 12 September 2026, and La Biennale sold 117,656 tickets, 14 percent more than in 2025. The 2025 edition ran from 27 August to 6 September, so expect the 84th in early September 2027, around 1 to 11 September. The main venues are the Palazzo del Cinema, where the premieres and the awards ceremony take place, and the Palazzo del Casinò, with its Sala Casinò.
Public tickets
Tickets for the screenings are sold only online, as long as seats remain. In 2026 sales opened on Tuesday 11 August at 3pm CEST through biennalecinema.vivaticket.it, and the ticket page showed new availability from 24 August at 3pm. Tickets are personal and non-transferable. Entry is allowed up to 10 minutes before the start and not after the screening begins. Children under 6 cannot attend, and some films carry age limits of 14 or 18, or 12 or 16 with a parent or guardian.
The 2026 prices (full price and concession), by hall:
Sala Grande: €18 to €50 for full price, depending on the time of the screening, and €15 to €40 concession, with a midnight screening at €20 and €15.
PalaBiennale: €12 to €15, concession €10 to €12.
Sala Darsena: €15, concession €12.
Sala Giardino: €15 (€18 for the 9pm screening), concession €12 (€15).
Sala Casinò and Sala Perla: €12, concession €9.
Sala Corinto, Sala Astra 1 and 2, and Sala Volpi: €10, concession €7.
Concessions are for under 26s, over 65s, festival subscribers and holders of the Biennale Card 2026, and you must show proof at the entrance. For people aged under 26 or over 65 who do not work in the film industry, La Biennale also offers promotional passes through its accreditation page.
The red carpet
Anyone can watch the red carpet from the pedestrian area without a ticket. The walks are shown on a giant screen and streamed online. A ticket for a Sala Grande screening does not give you access to the carpet, and passage on the carpet is not guaranteed and can change. La Biennale recommends formal attire for gala screenings in the Sala Grande.
- Halls from €10 for a smaller screening
- Personal tickets bought online from mid-August
- A Sala Grande ticket does not give you the red carpet
Getting to the Lido
From the train station (Venezia S. Lucia), Piazzale Roma or San Zaccaria, take Actv lines 1, 6, 4.1 or 5.2 to Lido S. Maria Elisabetta. Lines 20 and MC go to Lido Casinò instead. From Marco Polo airport the red or blue Alilaguna line goes to Lido S. Maria Elisabetta. By car, leave the A4 at Venice, follow the signs for Venezia Lido and board the Actv ferry.
Where to sleep
The Lido is where the festival is held. In Venice, the boats to the Lido leave from the area around the train station and Piazzale Roma and from San Zaccaria, near Piazza San Marco. See the Venice travel guide for the neighborhoods, and the Venice access fee page, because day visitors paid €5 or €10 on 60 days in 2026. Venice without the day-fee crowds covers five lagoon towns for the days around the festival.
Where to stay for Venice International Film Festival
Tours and tickets
Partner options we would book ourselves.
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Right now in Venice
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
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- Chance of rain
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Venice
09:40 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today16°11°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue15°10°8%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Wed15°9°5%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 5%.
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- Fri15°4°9%Friday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 9%.
- Sat12°8°10%Saturday: Rain. High 12°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Sun15°7°25%Sunday: Rain. High 15°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 25%.
Updated 07:05 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Venice International Film Festival FAQ
When is the Venice Film Festival in 2027?
La Biennale announces the dates for the 84th edition, and they are expected in early September, around 1 to 11 September 2027. The 83rd edition ran 2 to 12 September 2026 on the Lido di Venezia.
Can the public buy tickets?
Yes. Tickets for screenings are sold only online, as long as seats remain. In 2026 sales opened on 11 August at 3pm CEST through biennalecinema.vivaticket.it. Tickets are personal and non-transferable.
How much do tickets cost?
In 2026 Sala Grande tickets cost between €18 and €50 depending on the time, PalaBiennale €12 to €15, Sala Darsena €15, and the other halls €10 to €18. Concessions are for under 26s, over 65s, festival subscribers and Biennale Card holders.
Can I see the red carpet without a ticket?
Yes. Anyone can watch from the pedestrian area, and the walks are shown on a giant screen and streamed online.
How do I get to the Lido?
From the train station, Piazzale Roma or San Zaccaria, take Actv lines 1, 6, 4.1 or 5.2 to Lido S. Maria Elisabetta. Lines 20 and MC go to Lido Casinò. From Marco Polo airport, the red or blue Alilaguna line goes to Lido S. Maria Elisabetta.