Many different factors have made the war in Gaza top of mind during the opening day of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, in a way that Jury President Alexander Payne has yet to process.
During the opening press conference, the Oscar-winning filmmaker was immediately met with questions alluding to a recent open letter signed by mostly Italian directors calling for the Venice Film Festival, and the organizations associated with it, to take a more active pro-Palestinian stance.
When asked specifically if he would sign the letter, the same way Jury President Juliette Binoche signed a similar open letter during the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, Payne said, “Quite frankly, I feel a little unprepared for that question. I’m here to judge and talk about cinema.”
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“The Holdovers” writer/director attempted to clarify his stance on the War in Gaza, saying, “My political views I’m sure are in agreement with many of yours,” gesturing toward the audience of journalists. “But as far as my relationship with the festival and what the industry does, I’d have to think about that for a while to give you a measured response.”
The festival itself responded to the letter earlier in the week, via a statement that shared in part, “The Biennale and the festival have always been, throughout their history, places of open discussion and sensitivity to all the most pressing issues facing society and the world.” The festival cites programming Oscar nominee Kaouther Ben Hania’s new film “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” about a 6-year-old girl who was left stranded in a car after it was attacked by Israeli forces, as an example of that.
Binoche herself initially dodged a similar question about the Cannes open letter, saying, “cannot answer you. … You will maybe understand it a little later.” Additionally, the opening day of Venice also coincided with the announcement that the aforementioned competition title “The Voice of Hind Rajab” has added an all-star lineup of executive producers including Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, Oscar-winning directors Alfonso Cuarón and Jonathan Glazer, and award-winning actors Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara.
The morning of Day One of Venice Film Festival 2025 also saw a protest on the red carpet, with banners that read “Free Palestine. Stop the Genocide,” and a speech that revealed how there will be a Pro-Palestinian march happening on Satuday, August 30, the fourth day of the festival. The conversation around the festival and industry’s response to the crisis in Gaza shows little signs of stopping, even as showy world premieres attempt to grab attention.
