The Volpi Cups are the principal awards given to actors at the Venice Film Festival. Formal acting awards were introduced in the second festival (1934). Initially they were called Great Gold Medals of the National Fascist Association for Entertainment. The name Volpi Cup was introduced the following year. The list of winners below also includes the less formal audience-voted awards from the first festival (1932). No awards were assigned between 1969 and 1979. In 1980 best actor awards were reinstalled omitting the Volpi Cups until 1988, when Volpi Cups were reestablished. In the mid-1990s awards were also given to supporting actors and actresses.
The cup is named in honor of Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata, the founder of the Venice Film Festival.
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