A day dedicated to the myth of Italian cars and cinema among awards, stars and glamour at the Venice Film Festival
The Venice Lido on September 2 becomes a stage not only for great cinema, but also for the elegance and power of the Italian automotive myth. In fact, the 82nd Venice International Film Festival dedicates a special day to four films that have captivated international audiences by recounting the legend of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Bugatti. They are signed by producer Andrea Iervolino, who is capable of transforming engines into cinematic narrative, and they are celebrated by Ciak, the historical magazine that has always accompanied the Mostra with its official daily.
It will be an afternoon of glamour and excitement, with the ceremony hosted by Rai face Beppe Convertini, scheduled at 4:20 p.m. at theItalian Pavilion of the Hotel Excelsior. The atmosphere is that of grand occasions: red carpet, international guests, legendary families, Oscar-winning actors and an audience ready to applaud. Three awards will be presented: the Ciak Diamond Special Award, theItalian Excellence in International Films Award and the Friends for Cinema Award, spread between the afternoon and the gala evening, until the overwhelming Formula One Ciak Disco Party that will close the day.
The Ciak Diamond Special Award: tribute to Barbera
The 2025 edition inaugurates a glittering new award, the Ciak Diamond Special Award, dedicated to personalities who have contributed to the growth and prestige of Italian and international cinema. Receiving it, for the first time in history, is Dr. Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director of the Biennale – Venice Film Festival, a man symbolic of a decade of cinema lived among new challenges, languages and horizons. Presenting him with the award will be Ciak director Flavio Natalia, in an applause that is both gratitude and tribute for his vision.
“Venice,” Barbera recalled, “has always been a place of encounter, openness and contamination. Receiving an award from Ciak means receiving the recognition of those who tell cinema every day, with passion and competence.”
The Italian Excellence in International Films Award: families and stars united by myth.
The beating heart of the day, however, is theItalian Excellence in International Films Award, intended for families and protagonists of automotive brands that have made history by turning design and engines into works of art.
On the Excelsior stage, accepting the award will be:
- Piero and Paolo Ferrari, custodians of Enzo Ferrari’s legacy, symbols of a passion that conquered the world;
- Elettra Lamborghini, granddaughter of Ferruccio Lamborghini, artist and RAI anchorwoman, able to represent the family myth with modernity;
- Fabia and Manuel Maserati, great-grandchildren of the siblings who founded the historic automaker, now bear witness to a tradition that has not lost its luster;
- Nicole Auger, granddaughter of Ettore Bugatti, heir to a name that evokes elegance, innovation and power.
But Italian Excellence does not stop with families. The award also celebrates the stars who have made Italian myth-making immortal on screen:
- Al Pacino, for his intense preparation in Maserati: The Brothers, a role enthusiastically received by audiences;
- Andrea Iervolino, an international producer with more than 175 titles to his credit, including hits that have brought Italy to the global stage;
- Bobby Moresco, 2006 Academy Award winner, director of Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend and the forthcoming Maserati: The Brothers;
- Annie Bezikian, lead actress in both productions, an emerging icon between Hollywood and Italy.
Presenting the awards were a parterre of well-known and authoritative faces: the president of the Amici del Cinema Committee Roberto Alessi, Ville e Giardini director Marco Miglio, Rai host Gianni Ippoliti, and actresses Alessia Reatoand Floriana Gentile. A symbolic relay between different generations and worlds, all united by the timeless appeal of Made in Italy.
The Friends for Film Award: the gala dinner at Terrazza Campari
The celebration continues in the evening, when the magic of cinema meets conviviality. At the Campari Terrace, with breathtaking views of the Lido, a gala placée dinner is held where the Friends for Cinema Award is presented. An award that celebrates those who, with dedication, have strengthened the bond between cinema and the public.
Taking the stage are:
- Aquino Reato, pioneer of Cinema Under the Stars and the first Cinemobile. The award is collected by his son Marco Reato, CEO of Vitha Group, and granddaughter Alessia Reato, actress and television face;
- Davide Dall’Asta (Impresa 21), for supporting projects that combine business, sports and entertainment;
- Gerry Talozzi (Sixteen), for his concrete commitment to culture and entertainment;
- Jessica Grosso and Francesco Leonardo Zampol (Zampol), for their social and cultural commitment to animal welfare protection;
- Guglielmo Marchetti, executive producer, for his contribution to Italian and international production.
During the dinner, the Ciak editorial staff presents three other tributes: the Ciak Diamond Special Award to Andrea Iervolino, a Lifetime Achievement Award to Bobby Moresco, and a special award to maestro Nello Petrucci, author of the artistic works accompanying the trophies.
“Cinema is not just about images,” said Iervolino, “it is also about community, passion, encounters. These awards are an encouragement to continue telling stories that unite cultures and generations.”
Partners, art and music: the night lights up
There is no shortage of excellent partners who made the event possible: AIXI Smart TV and TaTaTu, whose support strengthened the link between cinema, technology and innovation. And there is no shortage of art: the works of Nello Petrucci give the awards an aesthetic dimension that goes beyond recognition, transforming it into tangible memory.
The evening culminates with the Formula One Ciak Disco Party, a glittering event that transforms Venice into an open-air set. Music, lights and the energy of Formula One close a day that has been able to combine motors and cinema, myth and actuality, tradition and modernity.
Cinema and myth: a combination that conquers the world
September 2, 2025 thus enters the history of the Venice Film Festival as a unique celebration in which the myth of Italian cars meets the evocative power of cinema. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Bugatti are not just brands, but symbols of a country capable of transforming design into emotion, speed into dreams, passion into storytelling.
And Ciak, with its awards, once again confirms its vocation: to tell the story of cinema not only as an industry, but as emotion, glamour and popular culture. On the Lido, on a September evening, the roar of engines found its echo in the heartbeat of cinema.
