Venice, Italy, August 30, 2025
Thousands protested against the Israeli siege of Gaza on the sidelines of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, seeking to move the spotlight from movie drama to real-world trauma. The demonstration, organized by a coalition of left-wing political groups and activist organizations, drew a large crowd to the Lido di Venezia, just a few kilometers from where Hollywood A-listers were walking the red carpet.
Key Headlines
* A Flotilla of Protest: Protesters arrived by boat and on foot, carrying Palestinian flags and signs with slogans such as “Stop Genocide” and “Free Gaza.”
* Direct Appeal to the Film World: An open letter, signed by over 2,000 film professionals, had been sent to the festival’s organizers, urging them to speak out against the war.
* Celebrity Presence Not a Deterrent: The demonstration took place even as major stars like George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Emma Stone were in attendance.
* Call for a Boycott: Some activists also called for a boycott of the festival if certain actors who have publicly supported the Israeli military were not disinvited.
The protest began in the early evening, with a diverse crowd of activists, students, and local residents gathering to voice their solidarity with the Palestinian people. A number of paper boats were laid on the ground, each one bearing a message demanding an end to the violence and the lifting of the siege on Gaza. The powerful visual display served as a stark contrast to the glitz and glamour of the festival.
Organizers of the protest stated that their goal was to use the global platform of the Venice Film Festival to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Fabiomassimo Lozzi, a co-founder of the collective “Venice4Palestine,” told AFP that the open letter and the protest’s high visibility have succeeded in bringing “Gaza and Palestine to the core of the public conversation in Venice.”
The festival’s organizers have so far resisted calls to take an official political stance or to disinvite any actors. The festival’s director, Alberto Barbera, has previously stated that the festival’s mission is to be a platform for art, not a stage for political protests. Nevertheless, the protest has already had a significant impact, making the conflict a major topic of conversation among attendees and the international media covering the event.
