Reuters: The Venice Film Festival opens on Wednesday, drawing Hollywood royalty, European auteurs and Asian masters, plus a strong dose of political tension as Israel’s war in Gaza casts a shadow over the Lido.
The 11-day event fires the starting gun for the awards season, with films premiering here over the past four years collecting more than 90 Oscar nominations and winning almost 20, making it top draw for actors, producers and directors alike.
Among the A-listers expected on the red carpet are Julia Roberts, Emma Stone, George Clooney, Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Andrew Garfield, Oscar Isaac and Amanda Seyfried, while the programme spans psychological thrillers, art house dramas, documentaries and splashy studio-backed productions.
The celebration of cinema is also colliding with geopolitics.
A collective of film industry figures, Venice4Palestine, has urged the festival to take a robust stand over the war in Gaza, calling on the organisers to promote Palestinian voices and denounce Israeli actions in Gaza.
The appeal was signed by more than 1,500 people, including directors such as Ken Loach and Matteo Garrone, and actors Toni Servillo, Charles Dance and Alba Rohrwacher.
Festival director Alberto Barbera told Reuters on Tuesday that Venice welcomed open debate, but dismissed calls for Israeli filmmakers and actors to be barred from the Lido, the thin barrier island a short boat trip from the main city that hosts the festival.
