Forbes Italia Unconventional Excellence 2026 Awards mark the third edition of the magazine’s annual Awards evening in Venice, held in parallel with the Venice International Film Festival. Launched in 2024, Unconventional Excellence recognizes personalities and projects that have challenged convention across cinema, culture, sport and business. After the ceremony, the evening continues over a private dinner for honorees and guests.
Next Stars 2026 Joins the Awards
A new addition welcomes the program this year: Forbes Italia will reveal the winners of Next Stars 2026, bringing the magazine's emerging-actor competition from its Milan semifinals to Venice for the final awards. The project selects young actors still completing their professional training, with the winners chosen by an industry jury.
Actor Cristiana Capotondi and Director and Producer Luca Lucini joined Casting Directors Valentina Materiale and Cristina Proserpio, DEW Management Founder Margherita Bonomo, Moira Piazza of Teatro degli Arcimboldi, and the competition's Artistic Director Maurizio Rigatti on this year's jury. Two winners, one actress and one actor, were selected during the June semifinals at Forbes Duomo Space in Milan. Their names remain under wraps until Venice, while two additional emerging actors received special mentions.
From Andrea Bocelli to the 2026 Edition
Unconventional Excellence held its first edition in 2024 and has since become Forbes Italia's annual awards event during the Mostra. Last year, Andrea Bocelli received the evening's first recognition by video. Actress and Director Michela Giraud, Actress Irene Maiorino, Actor and Director Paolo Ruffini, former alpine ski racer Kristian Ghedina, Producer Nicola Liguori and cinema collective ArteSettima were also among the honorees. Meanwhile, Ceramiche Noi worked with Artist Luca Baldelli to create individual ceramic awards for the recipients. Following the ceremony, Forbes Italia hosted its traditional dinner at Oficine 800, the 19th-century former warehouse on Giudecca overlooking the canal.
