Here are two dozen films that competed in the main competition at the Venice Film Festival in 2025 and their scores on Metacritic (the largest aggregator site that collects reviews of movies, games and series). This is not a top in the usual sense; rather, a cross-section that demonstrates the preferences not of individuals, but of global film critics as a whole.
How we've grouped data:
- all films are placed from top to bottom and left to right, from highest to lowest score and in alphabetical order;
- the data is current as of the early of September 2025. As more reviews appear, the scores of movies and, as a result, their placement may change slightly;
- films that do not yet have a Metacritic score are listed in alphabetical order;
- we also recommend that you read the results Berlin and Cannes 2025 film festivals.
Below the Clouds — 92 points (dir. Gianfranco Rosi)
Reward: 🥉 Special Jury Prize (3rd place)
Genre: documentary
What's notable: a journey through the streets of Naples that captures everyday life under a cloudy sky and turns it into a black-and-white meditation.
A House of Dynamite — 88 points (dir. Kathryn Bigelow)
Reward: no
Genre: thriller, drama
What's notable: an official learns about the threat of a missile strike on the United States and tries to prevent the catastrophe together with colleagues.
No Other Choice — 87 points (dir. Park Chang-wook)
Reward: no
Genre: thriller, drama, comedy
What's notable: a man who suddenly finds himself out of work embarks on a desperate and criminal search for a new job.
The Voice of Hind Rajab — 85 points (dir. Kauter Ben Chania)
Reward: 🥈 Grand Jury Award (2nd place)
Genre: drama
What's notable: a Red Cross volunteer receives a call from a girl caught under shelling, and their conversation turns into a chronicle of tragic events in Palestine.
Father Mother Sister Brother — 79 points (dir. Jim Jarmusch)
Reward: 🥇 Golden Lion (1st place)
Genre: drama, comedy
What's notable: an anthology about the relationships between children and parents, in which a son goes to visit his hermit father in New Jersey, while grown daughters try to restore their connection with the family.
The Stranger — 79 points (dir. Francois Ozon)
Reward: no
Genre: drama, crime
What's notable: an indifferent Frenchman commits a senseless murder, and the court carefully examines not only the crime but also the soul of the killer.
The Testament of Ann Lee — 78 points (dir. Mona Fastwold)
Reward: no
Genre: musical, drama
What's notable: a young woman proclaims herself the female incarnation of Christ and founds a religious community in which faith is expressed through songs and dances.
The Smashing Machine — 75 points (dir. Benny Safdie)
Reward: 🎬 Silver Lion for directing
Genre: drama, biography
What's notable: a legendary fighter who has reached the peak of his career struggles not only with opponents in the ring but also with addictions and conflicting emotions.
Frankenstein — 75 points (dir. Guillermo del Toro)
Reward: no
Genre: horror, sci-fi, drama
What's notable: an ambitious scientist creates a living creature, violating the laws of nature.
Bugonia — 74 points (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
Reward: no
Genre: comedy, science fiction
What's notable: paranoid conspiracy theorists kidnap a powerful businesswoman, convinced that she is an alien.
Grace — 69 points (dir. Paolo Sorrentino)
Reward: 👨 Best Actor
Genre: drama
What's notable: an artist at the twilight of his career lets a mysterious mentor into his life, and their relationship turns into an exquisite story of love, power, and cinema.
Jay Kelly — 66 points (dir. Noah Baumbuck)
Reward: no
Genre: drama, comedy
What's notable: an actor and his manager set out on a European voyage and, surrounded by the beauty of the Old World, rethink friendship and their legacy.
At Work — 61 points (dir. Valerie Donzelli)
Reward: 📝 Best screenplay
Genre: drama, biography
What's notable: a successful photographer dreams of becoming a writer and, plunging into the world of fantasy, confronts inner demons and a creative crisis.
The Wizard of the Kremlin — 58 points (dir. Olivier Assayas)
Reward: no
Genre: thriller, drama
What's notable: a political strategist watches as a new leader comes to power in Russia, while his own conscience drowns in political intrigues.
Girl — no points (dir. Shu Qi)
Reward: no
Genre: drama
What's notable: a young girl finds solace in a friendship that awakens her innermost dreams, but her mother’s past looms over the whole world with despair.
Duse — no points (dir. Pietro Marcello)
Reward: no
Genre: drama, biography
What's notable: an actress returns to the stage after the First World War, battling age and the shifting political winds.
Silent Friend — no points (dir. Ildiko Enyedi)
Reward: no
Genre: drama, biography
What's notable: a silent tree in a botanical garden becomes a witness to many human lives.
Orphan — no points (dir. Laszlo Nemes)
Reward: no
Genre: drama
What is remarkable: in postwar Hungary, a boy learns that a suddenly appearing stranger is somehow connected to his missing father.
The Sun Rises on Us All — no points (dir. Cai Shangjun)
Reward: 👩 Best Actress
Genre: drama
What's notable: after a serious accident, the protagonist encounters a former love, forcing him to reconsider forgotten actions.
Bravo Bene! — no points (dir. Franco Maresco)
Reward: no
Genre: documentary
What's notable: a director tries to make a film about a legendary performer, but the chaos on set turns the shooting into an exploration of creative crisis and self-destruction.
Elisa — no points (dir. Leonardo Di Costanzo)
Reward: no
Genre: drama
What's notable: a woman convicted of killing her sister claims she does not remember the events of that night and agrees to an experiment by a well-known criminologist.
See you at new film festivals!
