Filmmakers Demand Venice Festival Condemn Gaza Violence

VENICE, Italy — Hundreds of filmmakers and cultural figures are urging the Venice Film Festival to take a clear stand against what they call genocide in Gaza. This appeal was organized by Venice4Palestine (V4P) and sent on Friday to the Biennale di Venezia, the festival’s umbrella organization, along with its independent sections Venice Days and International Critics’ Week.

The signers accuse the Israeli government and military of committing genocide and ethnic cleansing, and they request the festival avoid becoming “a sad and empty showcase.” Instead, they encourage it to provide a platform for “dialogue, active participation, and resistance.”

Notable signatories include British filmmaker Ken Loach, Italian actor Toni Servillo, and French directors Celine Sciamma and Audrey Diwan. The letter cites the deaths of nearly 250 Palestinian media workers amid the ongoing conflict.

In their statement, the group expresses concern that the festival might ignore the human and civil tragedies occurring in Gaza. They stress the need for the film industry to address these issues through their art. “As the spotlight turns on the Venice Film Festival, we risk indifference to this human tragedy,” the letter states. “The show must stop.”

The writers also call for events highlighting Palestinian narratives at the festival to foster conversations about various injustices faced by Palestinians, including ethnic cleansing and occupation.

In response, the Biennale stated that it has historically emphasized open discussions on pressing societal issues. This year, they highlighted the inclusion of the film The Voice of Hind Rajab by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, which tells the story of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.

The Biennale reaffirmed its openness to dialogue, concluding that the festival remains a place for sensitive discussions on society’s most pressing matters.

A separate group, the Artisti #NoBavaglio network, has organized a public protest on August 30 to demand an end to the violence.

The 82nd Venice International Film Festival runs from August 27 to September 6.