Global Horizons: The 83rd Venice International Film Festival Finalizes Elite Orizzonti Short Film Selection
Photo: Courtesy of Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia Press Office 2026
The architectural landscape of the Lido di Venezia is preparing to welcome the cutting edge of global short-form cinema. La Biennale di Venezia has officially finalized its highly competitive selection for the Orizzonti Short Films International Competition at the upcoming 83rd Venice International Film Festival, running from September 2–12, 2026, under the artistic direction of Alberto Barbera.
Out of a staggering 2,500 global submissions including over 200 films from Italy alone the curatorial panel has narrowed the selection down to just 13 films in competition and 2 high-profile titles screening out of competition.
Representing 13 different countries, this elite lineup highlights contemporary human realism, bold animation techniques, and intimate docu-fictions. The official world premiere screenings are locked for September 10 and 11, 2026, where filmmakers will vie for the prestigious Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film.
Star-Studded Curation and Global Voices
What elevates the 83rd Orizzonti line-up is its masterful blend of independent new voices and established cinematic powerhouses pushing the boundaries of the short-form medium. Highlighting the selection is Paper Plane, directed by four-time Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan, featuring a stellar Irish and British cast including Clare Dunne.
The lineup also features brilliant animated works like Virginia Mori’s Rock, Paper, Scissors (Sasso, carta, forbici) and Annie Ning’s cross-continental drama Man Made Lake, proving that deep narrative weight requires no massive runtime.
The Complete 83rd Orizzonti Short Film Selection
To help film purists, press networks, and programmers map out the official schedule, the festival has finalized its screening architecture across two distinct categories:
1. In Competition (Orizzonti Award Contenders)
Angelo Azzurro by Tommaso Acquarone (Italy) – 20’
Test Track (Tesztpálya) by Lydia Cornett (Hungary/UK/USA) – 15’
Mothmama by Jessica Di Costa (Australia) – 12’
A Fortress (Una Fortaleza) by Alba Gaviraghi (Chile) – 14’
Los Poderos by Salim Jaller (Colombia/France) – 20’
Head of a Camel by Shannon Lee (USA) [Animation] – 4’
The Tropic of the Mourning Gecko by Stavros Markoulakis (Greece/France/Netherlands) – 19’
Rock, Paper, Scissors (Sasso, carta, forbici) by Virginia Mori (Italy/France) [Animation] – 9’
Distant Blue (Bleu au loin) by Amir Houshang Moein (France) [Animation] – 10’
Man Made Lake by Annie Ning (USA/China) – 17’
A Few Moments of Happiness (Quelques instants de bonheur) by Shaden Safieddine Tazi (France/UK) [Documentary] – 18’
Silence (Тиша) by Pavlo Shpegun (Ukraine) – 14’
Paper Plane by Saoirse Ronan (UK/Ireland) – 15’
2. Out of Competition (Special Premieres)
The Sense of Earth (Il senso della terra) by Alessandro Ingaria & Simone Massi (Italy) – 14’
Sounds from Home by Nathan Silver (France/USA) [Documentary] – 8’