The 82nd Venice International Film Festival once again proved that cinema grounded in reality can be as compelling as fiction. Five standout titles drew attention for their roots in true events, each offering a different lens on the human experience.

1. The Smashing Machine
Directed by Benny Safdie, this film plunges into the turbulent world of mixed martial arts through the life of fighter Mark Kerr. Safdie explores both the brutality inside the cage and the personal demons that shadowed Kerr’s rise, crafting a raw portrait of ambition, addiction, and resilience.

2. The Voice of Hind Rajab
Kaouther Ben Hania delivers a harrowing, intimate account of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child who tragically lost her life in Gaza while trapped under crossfire. Through its restrained and deeply emotional storytelling, the film echoes the wider suffering of civilians in war zones, turning Hind’s personal story into a universal cry for peace.

3. La Gioia
Italian cinema looked inward with La Gioia, which revisits the chilling 2016 murder of teacher Gloria Rosboch. The film examines betrayal, manipulation, and obsession, exposing how trust between a teacher and her former student ended in tragedy. Its clinical realism makes it both unsettling and unforgettable.

4. Elisa
Set between Alto Adige and Switzerland’s Ticino canton, Elisa dramatizes the story of a young woman imprisoned for a decade after the brutal killing of her sister. By navigating guilt, family bonds, and the blurred lines between truth and justice, the film confronts viewers with haunting moral questions.

5. Tired of Killing: Autobiography of an Assassin
Based on Antonio Zagari’s memoir Ammazzare stanca, this Italian feature explores the inner world of a professional killer. Far from glamorizing crime, the film dissects the psychological toll of a life built on violence, showing the cracks in the façade of an assassin who can no longer bear his own history.