The best Venice Film Festival vintage pictures of all time

Sophia Loren, Jane Fonda and Brigitte Bardot were "copying the Dolce Vita lifestyle" way before the Kardashians

24 Aug 2023

Fashion Digital Editor

Since 1932 the Venice Film Festival has stood as a prestigious celebration of cinematic artistry, drawing filmmakers and cinephiles from around the world. Amidst the dazzling array of contemporary films, the festival also offers a nostalgic journey through fashion. Iconic images throughout the years of silver screen sirens capture the essence of the festival's history, highlighting moments that have left an indelible mark on our collective memory.

One standout image harks back to the festival's inaugural year in 1958. It showcases a buxom Sofia Loren, exuding timeless glamour against the backdrop of the Venetian canals aged 20. Her aura encapsulates the blend of elegance and ‘Dolce Vita’ energy that the festival has come to represent.

The Venice International Film Festival's vintage pictures are not mere relics of the past; they are windows into the evolution of the red carpet and a testament to the enduring power of the golden age of cinema. Each image encapsulates a moment of history, and an homage to the classic style of our favourite Hollywood legends. As the festival continues into its 80th year, these vintage images serve as a reminder of its rich legacy and the stars who have contributed to its enduring allure.

Wearing a sliver evening gown and white fox fur, actress Gina Lollobrigida arrived at the Venice Film Festival to attend the premiere of her new movie Woman of Rome. The film, an Italian entry into the competition, was panned by critics and public alike, but Lollobrigida (aka: La Bella Gina) who played a prostitute in the movie, got a big hand.

Elizabeth Taylor and Claudia Cardinale, September 1967.

Film actress Elizabeth Taylor was photographed with Italian actress Claudia Cardinale at a charity ball in Venice during the Film Festival in 1967, both dripping in diamonds.

Glamourous French star Brigitte Bardot waved to cheering fans as she rode along the Grand Canal accompanied by her guitar-player friend, Sacha Distel. Bardot's arrival at the Lido allowed a host of admirers to scramble to get a view of the blonde screen idol. She attended the opening of her film, En Cas de Malheur, at the 19th Venice Film Festival, on 2 September.

Actress Claudia Cardinale made the perfect target for a battery of photographers. The internationally famed star attended the festival for the presentation of her film Vaghe Stelle Dell'Orsa.

Italian actress Sophia Loren standing on a terrace on the Canal Grande, wearing a white embroidered dress. At the time she was a guest at the festival, she returned a year later to collect her first award.

Romy Schneider and Magda Schneider, 1957.

Austrian movie actress Romy Schneider and her mother, stage and film actress Magda Schneider, attended a showing of the film Eye for an Eye at the Mostra del Cinema.

The party at the 400 year-old Vendramini-Calergi palace was the chicest event of the 28th Venice Film Festival, and actress Jane Fonda and then-husband, Roger Vadim, took it all in their stride. Other guests at the bash included Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

British actress Diana Dors, wore a mink bikini whilst riding in a gondola past St Mark's Square, during the Venice film festival, on 5 May.

Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII met and fell in love, and what followed was mass scrutiny and a media berating that led to their eventual exit from England and royal duties which was immortalised in The King's Speech. The pair took a stroll at the Lido, in Venice when they attended the International Film Festival.