María Aparicio Takes Venice Director’s Award – Why Her Film Stuns

**María Aparicio’s “Sadness Sometimes, Other Times Revolt” Wins Venice Giornate degli Autori Director’s Award**

The 2026 edition of Venice parallel section Giornate degli Autori saw Argentinian director María Aparicio capture the GDA Director’s Award for her third feature, *Sadness Sometimes, Other Times Revolt*. The film earned the €20,000 cash prize, to be divided between Aparicio and the film’s international distributor.

In addition to the top honor, French filmmaker Robert Guediguian’s *A Woman Today (Une Femme Aujourd’hui)* received the Europa Cinemas Label, and Italian director Nicola Sorcinelli’s *Balcanica* took home the . Ten films were shown in competition that year, giving the section a broad range of voices.

The GDA, also known as Venice Days, is an independent parallel program within the Venice Film Festival. Its jury for 2026 included Spain’s Carla Simón, Italian director‑editor Sara Fgaier, and Hania Mroué of Beirut’s Metropolis cinema.

## Background & Context

Giornate degli Autori has long been a showcase for auteur cinema, often referred to by its former name Venice Days. The 2026 program presented ten feature films, each vying for the Director’s Award, the most prestigious prize in the section.

Winning the award comes with a €20,000 cash prize split between the director and their international distributor, underscoring the section’s focus on both artistic merit and market potential.

The 2026 jury was diverse: Carla Simón, a Berlinale Golden Bear winner from Spain; Sara Fgaier, an Italian director‑editor; and Hania Mroué, head of Beirut’s historic arthouse cinema. Their collective experience spans European and Middle‑Eastern independent cinema, providing a balanced perspective on the films screened.

The Europa Cinemas Label is awarded by a network of independent cinemas across Europe. The prize offers promotional and distribution support within the member network, aiming to broaden a film’s reach beyond festival circuits.

## What People Are Saying

Jury members praised *Sadness Sometimes, Other Times Revolt* for its intimate storytelling. They highlighted the performances of Eva Bianco and Roger Koza, both Argentinian, describing their encounters as the film’s emotional core.

The jury statement read: “A film that portrays the solitude of the present, holding together an intimate dimension and a political charge, inviting us to think about labor, immigration and privilege through a delicate mise en scène built on small gestures rather than big events.”

For *A Woman Today*, the Europa Cinemas jury commended its nuanced portrait of contemporary womanhood.

They noted the film’s balance between personal struggles and broader social expectations, saying: “With empathy but without simplification, Robert Guediguian captures the tensions between apparent freedom, success and persistent social expectations, between professional independence, sexuality, the desire for intimacy, and the need to live life on one’s own terms.”

*Balcanica* won audiences’ favor at the Sala Perla in the Palazzo del Casinò. The ; Sorcinelli’s drama captured 76 % of those votes, indicating strong viewer resonance.

## What Happens Next

The €20,000 Director’s Award will be divided between Aparicio and her film’s international distributor, providing both recognition and financial support for future projects.

The Europa Cinemas Label award offers *A Woman Today* promotional and distribution backing within the European independent cinema network, potentially expanding its theatrical reach.

Audience acclaim for *Balcanica* suggests a strong demand that could translate into broader exhibition opportunities. While no specific distribution plans have been announced, the film’s success at the festival may attract interest from distributors and broadcasters in both Italy and beyond.

In sum, 2026’s Giornate degli Autori spotlighted a range of voices—from Aparicio’s poignant narrative to Guediguian’s socially aware drama and Sorcinelli’s audience‑winning thriller—each earning recognition that will likely shape their paths forward in the international film landscape.