Overview

• Jim Jarmusch took the festival’s top honor in a surprise result over pre-ceremony favorites such as Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab.
• Ben Hania’s film received the Silver Lion as runner-up after a prolonged standing ovation, with the director dedicating the win to Gaza first responders.
• Benny Safdie won best director for The Smashing Machine, while Xin Zhilei and Toni Servillo received the lead acting prizes and Luna Wedler was named best young actor.
• Jury president Alexander Payne praised both Jarmusch’s and Ben Hania’s films and rejected reports of juror unrest over the decisions.
• High-profile Netflix titles, including Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, exited without awards, underscoring the festival’s tilt toward politically resonant entries.