The 65th annual Venice International Film Festival, held in Venice, Italy, was opened on 27 August 2008 by Burn After Reading, and closed on 6 September 2008. International competition jury, led by Wim Wenders, awarded Golden Lion to The Wrestler, directed by Darren Aronofsky. Most of the films at the festival were world premieres. Featured in the 65th film festival was a restored version of Federico Fellini's 1952 comedy The White Sheik with forty minutes of newly discovered footage. Films screened out of competition included 35 Shots of Rum by Claire Denis, Abbas Kiarostami's Shirin, and an autobiographical documentary by Agnès Varda. The record for the longest film at the festival went to Philippine director Lav Diaz's Melancholia, with a running time of approximately seven and a half hours, and which was included in the Orizzonti competition section. 77-year-old Italian film director Ermanno Olmi received a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The festival was dedicated to the late Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, who was notable for his contributions to Arab cinema. The festival's shorts competition began 1 September 2008 with Natalie Portman's directorial debut, Eve. Kseniya Rappoport was the host of the opening and closing ceremonies.

Juries

The international juries of the 65th Venice International Film Festival were composed as follows:

Main Competition (Venezia 65)

Horizons (Orizzonti)

Opera Prima ("Luigi de Laurentis" Award for a Debut Film)

Official Sections

In Competition

The competitive section of the official selection is an international competition of feature films in 35mm and digital HD format running for the Golden Lion.

Out of Competition

New works by directors who have been honored in past festivals, as well as movies shown in the midnight time band.

Horizons (Orizzonti)

The following films were selected for the Horizons (Orizzonti) section:

Short Film Competition (Corto Cortissimo)

The following films were selected for the Short film competition (Corto Cortissimo) section:

These Phantoms: Italian Cinema Rediscovered (1946-1975)

Retrospective screenings and restorations. Special mono-graphic sessions dedicated to the "secret story of Italian cinema". This is the fifth part of the retrospective, initiated at the 61st edition of the festival.

Autonomous sections

Venice International Film Critics' Week

The following films were selected for the 23rd International Film Critics' Week:

Venice Days

The following films were selected for the 5th edition of Venice Days (Giornate Degli Autori) autonomous section:

Official Awards

The following Official Awards were conferred at the 65th edition:

In Competition (Venezia 65)

Horizons (Orizzonti)

Short Film Competition (Corto Cortissimo)

Luigi De Laurentis Award For a Debut Film

Independent Sections Awards

The following official and collateral awards were conferred to films of the autonomous sections:

Venice International Film Critics' Week

Venice Days (Giornate Degli Autori)

Independent Awards

The following collateral awards were conferred to films of the official selection:

FIPRESCI Award

SIGNIS Award

Francesco Pasinetti Award (SNGCI)

Doc/it Award – Sicilia Film Commission

Leoncino d'oro Agiscuola Award

Queer Lion

UNICEF Award

Art Cinema Award

La Navicella – Venezia Cinema Award

C.I.C.T. UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Award

Biografilm Lancia Award

Nazareno Taddei Award

Don Gnocchi Award

Future Film Festival Digital Award

Brian Award

Lanterna Magica Award (Cgs)

CinemAvvenire, Best Film in Competition

Bastone Bianco Award (Filmcritica)

Human Rights Film Network Award

Arca Cinemagiovani Award

Air For Film Fest Award

"Poveri ma belli" Award

Mimmo Rotella Foundation Award

Open Award 2008