The 48th annual Venice International Film Festival was held on 3 to 14 September 1991.^[1][2]

Italian film critic Gian Luigi Rondi was the Jury President of the main competition.

The Golden Lion winner was Close to Eden directed by Nikita Mikhalkov.

Jury

Main Competition

The following people comprised the 1991 jury:^[3]

• Gian Luigi Rondi, Italian film critic and screenwriter - Jury President
• Silvia D'Amico Bendico, Italian
• Jim Belushi, American actor
• John Boorman, British filmmaker
• Michel Ciment, French film critic
• Moritz de Hadeln, Swiss director and photographer
• Naum Kleiman, Soviet film critic
• Oja Kodar, Croatian actress and filmmaker
• Pilar Miró, Spanish filmmaker

Official Sections

In Competition

Independent Sections

Venice International Film Critics' Week

The following feature films were selected to be screened as In Competition for this section:^[4]

• Railway Bar (Bar des rails) by Cédric Kahn (France)
• Drive by Jefery Levy (United States)
• The Sky Above Paris (Le ciel de Paris) by Michel Béna (France)^[5]
• Nowhere Man (Muno no hito) by Naoto Takenaka (Japan)
• Clouds (Nuvem) by Ana Luísa Guimarães (Portugal)^[6]
• The Intruder (Razlucnica) by Amir Karakulov (Soviet Union)^[7]
• Scorpion’s Garden (Sady skorpiona) by Oleg Kovalov (Soviet Union)^[8]
• Vito And The Others (Vito e gli altri) by Antonio Capuano (Italy)
• Waiting by Jackie McKimmie (Australia, United Kingdom)

Official Awards

Main Competition

• Golden Lion: Close to Eden by Nikita Mikhalkov
• Grand Special Jury Prize: A Divina Comédia by Manoel de Oliveira
• Silver Lion:
  • The Fisher King by Terry Gilliam
  • Raise the Red Lantern by Yimou Zhang
  • J'entends plus la guitare by Philippe Garrel
• Golden Osella:
  • Best Screenplay: Mississippi Masala by Sooni Taraporevala
• Volpi Cup for Best Actor: River Phoenix for My Own Private Idaho
• Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Tilda Swinton Edward II

Career Golden Lion

• Gian Maria Volonté

Independent Awards

The President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal

• Jean-Luc Godard for Allemagne année 90 neuf zéro

Golden Ciak

• Best Film: Mississippi Masala by Mira Nair
• Best Actor: Vittorio Mezzogiorno for Cerro Torre: Schrei aus Stein
• Best Actress: Glenn Close for Meeting Venus

FIPRESCI Prize

• Nowhere Man by Naoto Takenaka

OCIC Award

• Close to Eden by Nikita Mikhalkov
  • Honorable Mention:
    • Luigi Faccini

Pasinetti Award

• Best Film: Close to Eden by Nikita Mikhalkov
• Best Actor: Vittorio Mezzogiorno for Cerro Torre: Schrei aus Stein
• Best Actress: Mercedes Ruehl for The Fisher King

Pietro Bianchi Award

• Paolo Taviani
• Vittorio Taviani

Little Golden Lion

• The Fisher King by Terry Gilliam

Evira Notari Prize

• Raise the Red Lantern by Yimou Zhang