The Giornate degli Autori (Italian: [dʒorˈnaːte deʎʎ auˈtoːri]; lit. 'Authors' Days') or simply the Giornate, formerly also known in English as Venice Days,[1] is an independent section of Venice Film Festival. Anac and 100autori are engaged to support and promote the Giornate. It was founded in 2004 by Giorgio Gosetti.
The Giornate's goal, similarly to that of the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, is to balance the star studded main event more sensational approach with drawing attention to high quality authors' cinema, specifically the one that represents innovative, original and independent take on moviemaking. With Villa Degli Autori as its center hub and headquarters during the event the Giornate's ambition is also to create an "informal and free space for authors, producers, distributors and journalists to meet and discuss their ideas".[2]
The program usually includes 11 competition films and the closing-night film which all, in addition to special screenings and additional events, are screened at Venice Film Festival theaters and venues.
The Giornate started in 2004 with three months to organize and, as director and founder Giorgio Gosetti put it, one common goal: "to go well beyond the simple showcase of films in the official selection and offer a bright window to the work of directors."[3]
The president of the Giornate is Andrea Purgatori. Honorary President is Roberto Barzanti.
The list of filmmakers who have been part of Giornate degli Autori during the Venice Film Festival is long: among them are Denis Villeneuve, Sara Polley, Steve Buscemi, Hubert Sauper, Xavier Beauvois, Emmanuel Mouret, Andrea Segre, Jean-Marc Vallée, Ramin Bahrani, Uberto Pasolini, Edoardo De Angelis, Hiam Abbass, Ava DuVernay, Leyla Bouzid, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Dag Johan Haugerud, and Josh and Benny Safdie. Not to mention the six winners of the Lion of the Future – Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film in Venice who emerged from past Giornate lineups.