MATIFF

The MATIFF Luchino Visconti Award is one of the Festival’s highest distinctions, created to honor extraordinary artistic excellence in cinema and the enduring legacy of filmmakers, actors, producers, and cultural visionaries whose work reflects the spirit of aesthetic refinement, human depth, and cinematic innovation embodied by Maestro Luchino Visconti.

Named after one of Italy’s most celebrated auteurs, whose films transformed cinema into a poetic language of beauty, emotion, and social reflection, the award recognizes individuals whose contribution to the arts transcends borders and generations, shaping culture through exceptional vision and storytelling.

The Golden Astraea is bestowed in recognition of this most prestigious award. It is an object rooted in ancient origins and deeply connected to the allegorical symbolism of the Mediterranean world: Astraea, the last immortal goddess to leave the Earth, who was ultimately transformed into a constellation in the heavens.A timeless symbol of justice, virtue, hope, and humanity, the Golden Astraea embodies the enduring values that this distinguished honor seeks to celebrate. Presented by the Matera International Film Festival (MATIFF), the award celebrates those who, like Visconti himself, elevate cinema into an enduring form of artistic and cultural heritage.

In previous editions, the Visconti Prize went to:

Giancarlo Giannini (2020)

Giovanni Gastel (2020)

Pupi Avati (2021)

Marco Tullio Giordana (2021)

Umberto Orsini (2021)

Gabriele Salvatores (2022)

Stefano Poda (2023)

Giulio Base (2024)

Alberto Barbera (2026)