The Venice Film Festival became the stage for a massive pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday, with organisers describing it as “possibly the largest protest ever seen at a major film event".
Thousands of people, including festival guests and members of the public, marched through the streets of the Italian city’s Lido district, calling for an end to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Police shut down main roads as protesters carrying Palestinian flags, peace banners and signs reading “Stop the Genocide” made their way toward the festival’s central area.
Chants of “Free, Free Palestine” echoed across the waterfront, while others used stilts, music, flares and foghorns to amplify their message. Demonstrators also placed paper boats on the ground as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians.
The march, organised by Venice4Palestine with the support of numerous associations, marked a rare politicisation of the festival, which has traditionally maintained a lower political profile compared to Cannes. Organisers said the demonstration aimed to ensure that the festival did not remain “an event isolated from reality".
In a statement, they accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and condemned Western governments for complicity through arms sales and diplomatic support. “In Gaza, hospitals, schools and refugee camps are being bombed; civilians are being deprived of food and water; journalists and doctors are being killed; humanitarian ships such as the Freedom Flotilla are being seized.
“At the same time, in the West Bank, apartheid and settler violence continue unabated. The permanent occupation of Gaza by the Israeli government marks an escalation that has gone beyond every limit of humanity and international law,” the group said.
Ahead of the festival, hundreds of international filmmakers and artists had urged organisers to take a public stance against the war and to rescind invitations to actors such as Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, stars of In the Hand of Dante. Gadot, a former Israel Defence Forces member and outspoken supporter of Israel, was confirmed as not attending, though organisers said she had never planned to appear.
Venice Festival director Alberto Barbera said the event would not disinvite artists, but acknowledged the humanitarian crisis. “We have never hesitated to clearly declare our huge sadness and suffering vis-a-vis what is happening in Gaza and Palestine,” he told reporters.
Jury president Alexander Payne struck a more neutral tone, saying: “I’m here to judge and talk about cinema. My political views, I’m sure, are in agreement with many of yours.”
The festival line-up itself includes films addressing the war, among them Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, which recounts the story of a six-year-old girl killed while fleeing Gaza City last year.
Earlier in the week, it was announced Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara had joined Oscar-winning directors Jonathan Glazer and Alfonso Cuaron as executive producers of the project ahead of its debut at Venice.
Protesters unveiled a “Free Palestine” banner, while others waved Palestinian flags at the opening of the festival on Wednesday.
