The Venice Film Festival is facing increased pressure to take a public stance regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, with an open letter signed by prominent figures in the arts world calling for concrete action.
Pink Floyd cofounder Roger Waters, Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, and directors Matteo Garrone and Isabel Coixet are among those who signed the letter organized by the Venice4Palestine collective. The letter, published days before the festival’s September 2 opening, urges the Venice Biennale and the audiovisual industry to support Palestine. Venice4Palestine previously lobbied the festival last year to acknowledge the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and held a public demonstration.
The collective’s demands include greater transparency within the film industry and the suspension of agreements with organizations linked to the Israeli government. They also request safeguards for professionals who choose to distance themselves from such ties. This call to action comes amid international condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza, stemming from the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks, and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
The Venice Film Festival, which maintains a non-partisan approach to its selections, has not made any official comments regarding the conflict. However, it has screened films depicting the consequences of Israeli actions against Palestinians, including Kaouther Ben Hania’s *The Voice of Hind Rajab* last year, which reconstructed the events surrounding the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab and others. Israel announced on August 19 that it was launching a criminal investigation into the incident.
The letter also requests that the Palestinian flag be flown at the festival to recognize the inclusion of two Palestinian films in the official selection: Ahmed Hassouna’s *Citizen Osama (Al Mowaten Osama)* and Muayad Alayan’s *Conversation with the Sea (Hiwar ma’ albahr)*. The letter also calls attention to other non-Palestinian directed films exploring the conflict.
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