Each year, the jury of theVenice Film Festival is chaired by an internationally recognized personality of cinema.
From 1935 to 1939,senator and entrepreneurGiuseppe Volpi, founder of the Festival, held the office of president of the jury. Volpi, together with journalistMario Gromo holds the record of acting as Jury President for 5 times.
The first foreign president of the jury was Scottish documentarianJohn Grierson. The first woman who held the office of president of the jury was screenwriterSuso Cecchi d'Amico.
In 1992, two people held the office of president of the jury together: actorDennis Hopper and directorJiří Menzel.
From 1940 to 1942 the Festivals are considered asnot disputed, while from 1943 to 1945 the Festival wasn't organized due toWorld War II. From 1969 to 1972 and in 1979 the Festival was not competitive, while from 1973 to 1978 the Festival was not organized.






The following individuals served as president of the jury two or more times:
| Times | President | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Mario Gromo | |
| Giuseppe Volpi | ||
| 3 | Luigi Chiarini | |
| 2 | Bernardo Bertolucci |