Tribute to Jane Campion at the Venice International Film Festival 2025
Hey traveler, dear traveler, this year, where art, cinema and beauty meet - Venice International Film Festival 2025 - there’s a special reason to pack your bags and head to the Lido. We’re talking about Jane Campion, one of the greatest living directors, celebrated as mentor, innovator and poet of cinema.
Find out all about the tribute to Jane Campion at the Venice International Film Festival 2025 in this guide by Venice Insider Guide, where we tell you who is Jane Campion, why the Biennale is honoring her this year and how you can live this unique moment if you’re in Venice.
Jane Campion at the Venice Film Festival 2025
Jane Campion is not only the first woman to have won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 1993 for The Piano, but she’s also one of the most intense, deep and independent voices in the world of cinema.
In 2025, the Venice Biennale is celebrating Jane Campion with a series of special events during the 82nd edition of the Film Festival, from August 27 to September 6.
The tribute to Jane Campion at the Venice International Film Festival 2025 is for her film school, A Wave in the Ocean.
It’s not just an homage to her career, but an immersion into her cinematic vision, with a focus on her commitment to training new generations of directors and screenwriters.
Yes, because Jane Campion is not just a director. She’s a guide, a reference point for those who dream of telling stories on the big screen.
A Wave in the Ocean: the film school
A Wave in the Ocean isn’t just any film school. Founded in the rural region of Wairarapa in New Zealand, it’s an almost spiritual experience for those who attend.
The name itself is Campion’s philosophy: every voice, no matter how small, can create a wave in the ocean of cinema.
Students live and work together in an immersive environment, off the radar, where art meets nature, self-reflection and creative silence.
Campion’s teaching method is based on vulnerability as narrative power, listening, the importance of the unsaid emotions. A rare, delicate, human approach.
Tribute to Jane Campion at the Venice International Film Festival 2025
The heart of the Biennale Cinema 2025 tribute will be A Wave in the Ocean, the film school founded by Jane Campion in New Zealand in 2022.
The Venice Film Festival 2025 will present seven short films by young filmmakers trained within this creative laboratory, giving voice to a new generation inspired by her artistic legacy.
In an era of constant change, Campion has chosen to go back to the roots, creating a place where authenticity, experimentation and empathy are at the heart of the training.
The tribute will be accompanied by a masterclass with Jane Campion herself (book early, places will be very limited!), special screenings of her iconic films, meetings with former students and industry professionals.
Seven short films at the Venice International Film Festival 2025
At the 2025 Biennale Cinema, seven short films by former A Wave in the Ocean students will be presented. Intense works that talk about identity, memory, trauma, rebirth.
Each short is different, but all have the Jane Campion philosophy: honest, minimal, explosive storytelling.
Titles have not been announced yet (we’ll find out in the next weeks), but we can expect strong themes, authentic voices and new perspectives on the world.
The initiative is part of the “Orizzonti Extra” section, always focused on new frontiers of cinematic language.
Jane Campion and Venice: a long history
Jane Campion and Venice have a long history. The New Zealand director has been to the Festival many times, bringing films that have made a mark.
In 1990, for example, her feature film An Angel at My Table was a hit, introducing the world to a powerful female voice that could tell interiority with a unique delicacy.
This 2025 tribute is also a homecoming, a hug between a director and a festival that has seen her grow, bloom and today celebrate her as a master.
Don’t miss the Jane Campion events at Venice Film Festival 2025
If you’re planning to be in Venice end of August and early September, don’t miss these must-see events:
- Masterclass with Jane Campion (date TBC, between August 28 and September 4): a rare and precious opportunity.
- Special screening of The Piano with introduction by the director.* “A Wave in the Ocean Showcase”: presentation of the seven shorts with emerging directors and producers.
- Photographic and video installation on Campion’s film school at the Casino Palace.
Why this tribute is important for contemporary cinema
In a world that’s getting faster and more superficial, Jane Campion reminds us that cinema can still be intimate and revolutionary. It can be listening, reflection, poetry.
With this tribute, the 2025 Film Festival is not just paying homage to a career, but a cultural message: we need cinema that speaks from the heart, that explores the human condition.
And who better than Jane Campion to teach us that?
Where to see the films and how to participate
If you want to be close to this tribute, you have several options:
- Buy the daily pass for official screenings at the Lido di Venezia
- Book the masterclass or collateral events on the Biennale website
- Follow the live streaming on Biennale Channel
- Check the full program (published end of July) for dates, times and locations
How to get to the Venice Film Festival
The Festival takes place on Lido di Venezia, an island a short distance from Piazza San Marco.
You can get there:
- Vaporetto (Line 1 or 5.1 from Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia)
- Traghetto ACTV if you arrive by car from Tronchetto
- On foot or by bike from the city center if you’re staying nearbyIf you want to fully experience it, we recommend you stay on the Lido: many historic hotels, boutique hotels and B&Bs are just a few minutes away from the Festival venue.
Conclusion
The tribute to Jane Campion at the Venice International Film Festival 2025 is more than a celebration. It’s an invitation to see the world anew
Whether you’re a film lover, a curious traveler or a young director looking for inspiration, this will be one of the highlights of the next Festival.