As the 82nd Venice International Film Festival kicks off, pro-Palestinian activists are using the high-profile event to draw attention to the war in Gaza. Demonstrators from the group Venice4Palestine are demanding the festival sever ties with organizations backing Israel and disinvite actors Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, both linked to support for the Israeli military.
Venice4Palestine is staging a series of protests, including a news conference on the red carpet and a major demonstration set for Saturday night—coinciding with the world premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. The group’s letter of demands has been signed by filmmakers Ken Loach and Alice Rohrwacher.
Festival director Alberto Barbera defended the event’s neutral stance, telling the Associated Press, “We are absolutely open to any kind of debate about this unacceptable situation in Palestine,” but reaffirmed that the Venice Biennale “does not boycott artists.”
Speculation swirled this week that Gadot had pulled out of the festival due to pressure, but Barbera clarified that the Israeli actress, known for her vocal support of the IDF, had never planned to attend. Butler, whose appearance at a 2018 Friends of the IDF gala drew criticism, has not commented, and his attendance remains uncertain.
The festival is not ignoring the war entirely. The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film centered on a six-year-old girl killed in Gaza, is premiering in the main competition. However, last year’s inclusion of an Israeli film about the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack has further fueled criticism of what activists see as a double standard.
Tensions remain high as Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza, where over 62,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed. With the war nearing its second year, global cultural institutions like Venice are increasingly becoming battlegrounds for political messaging.
