20th Venice International Film Festival

The 20th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 23 August to 6 September 1959.

Italian film critic Luigi Chiarini was the Jury President for the main competition. The Golden Lion was awarded to The Great War directed by Mario Monicelli and General della Rovere directed by Roberto Rossellini.

Jury

 * Luigi Chiarini, Italian - Jury President
 * Georges Altman, French journalist
 * Sergei Bondarchuk, Soviet filmmaker and actor
 * Ralph Forte, American
 * Luis Gómez Mesa, Spanish
 * Ernst Kruger, German
 * Roger Maxwell, British actor
 * Vinicio Marinucci, Italian
 * Dario Zanelli, Italian

Official Awards

 * Golden Lion:
 * The Great War by Mario Monicelli
 * General della Rovere by Roberto Rossellini
 * Special Jury Prize: The Magician by Ingmar Bergman
 * Volpi Cup for Best Actor: James Stewart for Anatomy of a Murder
 * Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Madeleine Robinson for Web of Passion
 * Volpi Cup Special Mention:
 * Carla Gravina for Esterina
 * Lucyna Winnicka for Night Train
 * Hannes Messemer for General della Rovere
 * Alberto Sordi for The Great War

New Cinema Award

 * The Magician by Ingmar Bergman

FIPRESCI Prize

 * Ashes and Diamonds by Andrzej Wajda

OCIC Award

 * General della Rovere by Roberto Rossellini

Pasinetti Award

 * The Magician by Ingmar Bergman
 * Parallel Sections: Come Back, Africa by Lionel Rogosin