Maggie Gyllenhaal to Preside Over International Jury at Venice Film Festival

Maggie Gyllenhaal has been named the president of the International Jury of the Competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, taking place September 2-12, 2026

The jury will assign the Golden Lion for Best Film, as well as other official awards.

Maggie Gyllenhaal said, “I am thrilled to accept the invitation to lead this year’s Venice Film Festival jury. Venice has always supported truthful, singular voices and I am honored to play a part in continuing that brave and necessary tradition. I will not be standing in judgment, but in curiosity, admiration and excitement.”

The decision was made by the Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia, who confirmed the recommendation of the Director of the Venice Film Festival, Alberto Barbera.

Alberto Barbera commented, “Maggie Gyllenhaal embodies an artistic path of uncommon consistency, constructed over time with intelligence and courage. An actress who is able to portray disturbing and multifaceted characters, she also reinvented herself as an author with The Lost Daughter, which won the Best Screenplay award here in Venice in 2021. Her perspective on cinema – both intellectual and visceral – has found further confirmation in the recent film The Bride! (2026), which consolidates her stature as an original filmmaker. Having her as the president of our jury means being able to rely on an authoritative and independent voice, animated by that authentic passion for arthouse cinema which has always represented the heart of the Festival.”

Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter, Crazy Heart) is an Academy Award-nominated actress, director, producer, and screenwriter.

This year, Gyllenhaal released her film The Bride!, which she wrote, produced, and directed. The film is an imaginative continuation of the classic Frankenstein story, influenced by both the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein and Mary Shelley’s original masterpiece. It stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, and Jake Gyllenhaal and was released on March 6, 2026.