Serena Rossi to Receive Venice Campari Passion for Film Award

Italian actress Serena Rossi will receive the Campari Passion for Film Award at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, organizers announced Tuesday.

Rossi will accept the award on Sept. 10 during a ceremony in the Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema, ahead of the out-of-competition premiere of Scherzetto (Trick), directed by Mario Martone. Rossi stars in the film alongside Toni Servillo, Lorenzo Perrotta, Leonardo Lidi, Giovanni Ludeno and Gianluca Di Gennaro.

In a statement, Rossi said returning to the Lido to receive the honor was “a true honor,” adding that passion and the search for an authentic connection with audiences had guided her career. She said presenting Scherzetto at this year’s festival alongside Martone, Servillo and the cast made the occasion “even more special.”

The prize, presented in collaboration with the artistic direction of the Venice Film Festival, recognizes film professionals for their contribution to cinema and their creative work. Previous recipients include editor Bob Murawski, cinematographer Luca Bigazzi, composer Terence Blanchard, production designer Marcus Rowland, costume designer Arianne Phillips, production designers Tonino Zera and Paola Comencini, and director Gus Van Sant.

Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera said Rossi had built a career across film, television, music and voice acting, highlighting her work in a range of genres and formats.

Rossi first came to prominence on Italian television with roles in series including Il Commissario Montalbano and Adriano Olivetti, before expanding into film with credits including Song ‘e Napule, Ammore e malavita, Lasciami andare and Io sono Mia, in which she portrayed singer Mia Martini. More recently she has starred in the Rai series Mina Settembre, Netflix’s The Children’s Train and Non abbiamo bisogno di parole, and Disney’s Uonderbois. She also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 78th Venice Film Festival in 2021.

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs Sept. 2-12.