Congress Awards joined the 83rd Venice International Film Festival week with an international gala connecting culture, luxury, philanthropy and business.

Marek Harmony, Anna Stukkert, Thomas Misse

On 11 September, Congress Awards, founded by Anna Stukkert, joined Royal Gentlemen Club founders Thomas Misse and Marek Harmony for La Dolce Vita at Ca’ Sagredo in Venice. Timed with the closing days of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the gala brought together guests whose work moves between cinema, fashion, luxury, entrepreneurship and culture.

Azul Coral

Rather than reproducing the traditional festival format, the evening was built around encounters between different industries. Actress Caroline Azmy, Venetian actor Alessandro Bressanello, AI Filmfest Athens founder Christina Duxa, producer and performer Manana Palagashvili and model and entrepreneur Azul Coral brought cinema and performance into dialogue with international business.

Luxury formed another part of the programme. Lidia Weber, Director of Special Projects at Official Jewellery Partner Oliver Weber Collection, presented the Dolce Vita Collection. Velichka Gospodinova of LABOR8 and Nadine Ahmad of Young Voyage represented independent fragrance, Victoria Dimitrova of LEDEN8 beauty technology, and Massimiliano Giobergia of Cosmetic Tailors the Italian beauty manufacturing sector.

The Congress Awards recognised two very different contributions to culture. Alisa Roever, founder of Angels Helpers, was honoured for work supporting children’s access to arts education and mentorship. Alessandro Bressanello was recognised after a career spanning Venetian theatre, Commedia dell’Arte and international cinema.

Live performances were woven throughout the evening. Soprano Alina Zamalieva, Manana Palagashvili, Yuri and Ksenia Wheelman and Rezeda Kalimullina moved the programme between opera, crossover, soul, jazz and contemporary music.

With the Grand Canal outside and the film festival entering its final days, La Dolce Vita offered a concise idea of what Congress Awards has developed around its international events: bringing people from different professional worlds into the same room, with Venice providing the cultural context rather than becoming the subject of the evening.