17th Venice International Film Festival

The 17th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 28 August to 9 September 1956.

No Golden Lion was awarded, the international jury was unable to decide the winner, after a tie in the voting between The Burmese Harp and Calle Mayor, the award was declared void for the first (and only) time ever.

Jury

 * John Grierson, British filmmaker - Jury President
 * André Bazin, French film critic
 * G. B. Cavallaro, Italia film critic
 * Fridrikh Ermler, Soviet filmmaker and actor
 * James Quinn, British producer and exhibitor
 * Kiyohiko Ushihara, Japanese filmmaker
 * Luchino Visconti, Italian filmmaker

Main Competition

 * Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Bourvil for La Traversée de Paris
 * Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Maria Schell for Gervaise
 * Special Mentions:
 * Street of Shame by Kenji Mizoguchi
 * Heinz Rühmann for The Captain from Köpenick
 * Anna Magnani for The Awakening
 * Franco Bernetti, Mario Craveri, Ubaldo Marelli, Giovanni Raffaldi for Empire in the Sun
 * Torero! by Carlos Velo
 * The Immortal Garrison by Zakhar Agranenko & Eduard Tisse
 * Betsy Blair for Calle Mayor
 * The Burmese Harp by Kon Ichikawa
 * Calle Mayor by Juan Antonio Bardem

New Cinema Award

 * Best Film: Calle Mayor by Juan Antonio Bardem
 * Best Actor: Heinz Rühmann for The Captain from Köpenick
 * Best Actress: Maria Schell for Gervaise

San Giorgio Prize

 * The Burmese Harp by Kon Ichikawa

FIPRESCI Prize

 * Calle Mayor by Juan Antonio Bardem
 * Gervaise by René Clément

OCIC Award

 * Calabuch by Luis García Berlanga
 * Honorable Mention: The Burmese Harp by Kon Ichikawa

Pasinetti Award

 * Attack by Robert Aldrich