54th Venice International Film Festival

The 54th annual Venice International Film Festival was held between 27 August to 6 September 1997.

New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion was the Jury President of the Main Competition. The opening film was Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry, while the closing film was a restored version of 1912 silent film Richard III, accompanied live by Vittorio Gassman serving as narrator and Ennio Morricone conducing the Arturo Toscanini Orchestra. Takeshi Kitano's Hana-bi was the Golden Lion winner.

Juries
The following people comprised the 1997 jury:

Main competition

 * Jane Campion, New Zealand filmmaker and producer – jury president
 * Ronald Bass, American writer and producer
 * Véra Belmont, French producer
 * Peter Buchka, German critic
 * Nana Jorjadze, Georgian filmmaker and actress
 * Idrissa Ouedraogo, Burkinabé filmmaker
 * Charlotte Rampling, British actress
 * Shinya Tsukamoto, Japanese filmmaker, producer and actor
 * Francesco Rosi, Italian director

Short films competition

 * Marco Bellocchio, Italian filmmaker - Jury President
 * Clare Peploe, British producer and screenwriter
 * Olivier Assayas, French filmmaker and film critic

Official sections
The following films were selected to be screened:

Venice International Film Critics' Week
The following feature films were selected to be screened as in competition for this section:
 * The Fifth Season (Fasl-e panjom) by Rafi Pitts (Iran)
 * Gummo by Harmony Korine (United States)
 * Marie from the Bay of Angels (Marie Baie des Anges) by Manuel Pradal (France)
 * Masumiyet (en. Innocence) by Zeki Demirkubuz (Turkey)
 * Dance of the Wind (Swara Mandal) by Rajan Khosa (India)
 * To Die for Tano (Tano da morire) by Roberta Torre (Italy)
 * Unmade Beds by Nicholas Barker (United Kingdom)

Main competition

 * Golden Lion: Hana-bi by Takeshi Kitano
 * Grand Special Jury Prize: Ovosodo by Paolo Virzi
 * Golden Osella:
 * Best Original Screenplay: Nettoyage à sec for Gilles Taurand
 * Best Cinematography: Ossos for Emmanuel Machuel
 * Best Original Music: Chinese Box for Graeme Revell
 * Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Wesley Snipes for One Night Stand
 * Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Robin Tunney for Niagara, Niagara

Luigi de Laurentis award for a debut film

 * Tano da morire by Roberta Torre

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

 * Gérard Depardieu
 * Stanley Kubrick
 * Alida Valli

The President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal

 * The Thief by Pavel Chukhraj

Prize of the International Youth Jury

 * The Thief by Pavel Chukhraj

FIPRESCI Prize

 * Love Stories by Jerzy Stuhr
 * Twenty Four Seven by Shane Meadows
 * Honorable Mention: Harmony Korine for Gummo

OCIC Award

 * The Winter Guest by Alan Rickman
 * Honorable Mention:
 * Jerzy Stuhr by Love Stories
 * Nouri Bouzid by Bent Familia

UNICEF Award

 * The Thief by Pavel Chukhraj

UNESCO Award

 * La strana storia di Banda Sonora by Francesca Archibugi)

Pasinetti Award

 * Best Film: Giro di lune tra terra e mare
 * Best Actor: Edoardo Gabbriellini for Ovosodo
 * Best Actress: Emma Thompson for The Winter Guest

Pietro Bianco Award

 * Bernardo Bertolucci

Isvema Award

 * Giro di lune tra terra e mare by Giuseppe M. Gaudino

FEDIC Award

 * Tano da morire by Roberta Torre
 * Honorable Mention: Amleto... frammenti by Bruno Bigoni

Little Golden Lion

 * Ovosodo by Paolo Virzi

Anicaflash Prize

 * Love Stories by Jerzy Stuhr

Elvira Notari Prize

 * Bent Familia by Nouri Bouzid

Bastone Bianco Award

 * Alors voilà by Michel Piccoli

Sergio Trasatti Award

 * Love Stories by Jerzy Stuhr
 * In memoriam Gyöngyössy Imre by Barna Kabay

CinemAvvenire Award

 * The Winter Guest by Alan Rickman

Enzo Serafin Award

 * Ovosodo by Italo Petriccione

Kodak Award

 * Tano da morire by Roberta Torre