The 82nd Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest and one of its most prestigious movie showcases, opened on August 27, 2025, amid a swirl of cinematic excitement and fervent political protest. The Lido’s red carpet was as dazzling as ever, with Hollywood heavyweights Julia Roberts and George Clooney making grand entrances, but this year, the glitz and glamour shared the spotlight with urgent calls for action over the ongoing war in Gaza.
From the very first morning, the festival’s opening was marked not just by celebrity arrivals but by a powerful demonstration. According to The Hollywood Reporter, about two dozen activists assembled in front of the famed red carpet, waving Palestinian flags and unfurling a banner that read “Free Palestine. Stop the Genocide.” Chants of “Free Palestine” and “Stop the Genocide” echoed across the Lido, drawing the attention of festivalgoers, media, and the global film industry alike. The protesters demanded that the Venice Film Festival take a public stand against what they described as genocide in Gaza, and they called on the event to “denounce the complicity of Western governments.”
This demonstration was not an isolated act. Organizers—representing a broad coalition of trade unions, feminist and anti-racist groups, student collectives, environmental activists, religious and peace associations, and international networks like Extinction Rebellion and Refugees Welcome—announced plans for a much larger march on Saturday, August 30. As Martina Vergnano, one of the protest’s spokeswomen, explained, “We have received hundreds of signatures from political groups, associations and groups from the Veneto region, but also well beyond. That is, hundreds of signatures and endorsements, even from the world of cinema and from within the exhibition.” The march was set to begin at the Santa Maria Elisabetta water bus stop and cross the island to the festival’s red carpet, with organizers even arranging a motorboat from Marghera to ensure broad participation.
Adding to the mounting pressure, hundreds of Italian and international filmmakers, artists, and cultural figures signed an open letter under the banner Venice4Palestine. Delivered on August 22 to the Biennale di Venezia and the festival’s independent sections, the letter urged Venice organizers to take a “clear and unambiguous stand” against what it described as genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. The appeal warned that without such action, the festival risked becoming “a sad and empty showcase” instead of “a place of dialogue, active participation, and resistance, as it has been in the past.”
The festival’s leadership responded by emphasizing Venice’s longstanding tradition as a forum for open discussion. Festival director Alberto Barbera, speaking to reporters, expressed “huge sadness and suffering vis-a-vis what is happening in Gaza and Palestine,” but he declined to rescind invitations to pro-Israeli actors, noting the importance of dialogue and inclusivity. The Biennale’s official statement highlighted its commitment to addressing pressing global issues, pointing to the inclusion of The Voice of Hind Rajab in the main competition as evidence of the festival’s engagement with contemporary crises.
The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Franco-Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, reconstructs the tragic story of a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in 2024. The film’s gravitas was underscored by the involvement of high-profile executive producers, including Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Jonathan Glazer, and Alfonso Cuarón. According to Variety, the film’s presence at the festival was cited repeatedly by organizers as a symbol of Venice’s willingness to grapple with difficult global realities through cinema.
The political tensions were palpable during the festival’s opening press conference. Jury President Alexander Payne, an Oscar-winning filmmaker, found himself immediately confronted with questions about the open letter and the festival’s stance. “Quite frankly, I feel a little unprepared for that question. I’m here to judge and talk about cinema,” Payne responded, as reported by IndieWire. He acknowledged, “My political views I’m sure are in agreement with many of yours,” but hesitated to take a public position without further consideration, emphasizing his primary focus on the films themselves.
Meanwhile, the festival’s cinematic offerings got underway with a strong and diverse lineup. The opening ceremony saw legendary director Francis Ford Coppola present a Lifetime Achievement award to German filmmaker Werner Herzog, lauded for a career spanning more than 70 films. Herzog, who described his artistic goal as seeking “the sublime,” was set to premiere his latest documentary, Ghost Elephants, about a lost herd in Angola.
Italian director Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia was the first major competition film to screen, telling the story of an Italian president wrestling with the moral and political implications of a euthanasia bill. Sorrentino, addressing the press, remarked, “Dwelling on doubt and then allowing that doubt to mature into a decision is something that is increasingly rare.” The Orizzonti section opened with Mother, a provocative portrait of Mother Teresa grappling with questions of motherhood and abortion.
Hollywood’s presence was unmistakable. George Clooney, arriving with his wife Amal, was set to star in the Netflix comedy Jay Kelly, premiering on August 28. Emma Stone headlined the sci-fi comedy Bugonia, while Julia Roberts, making her first appearance at Venice, was to feature in Luca Guadagnino’s out-of-competition drama After the Hunt on August 29. Other hotly anticipated premieres included Guillermo del Toro’s big-budget remake of Frankenstein starring Oscar Isaac, Kathryn Bigelow’s political thriller A House of Dynamite with Idris Elba, and The Smashing Machine starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as MMA champion Mark Kerr. In a bold casting move, Jude Law was set to portray Vladimir Putin in Olivier Assayas’s The Wizard of the Kremlin.
Jim Jarmusch, in his first main competition entry at Venice, brought together Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver, and Tom Waits in Father Mother Sister Brother. Taiwanese actress Shu Qi made her directorial debut with Nuhai (Girl), further underscoring the festival’s commitment to showcasing diverse and innovative voices.
Yet, even as the festival celebrated artistic achievement, the shadow of the Gaza conflict remained ever-present. The intersection of art and activism was impossible to ignore, as filmmakers, actors, and audiences grappled with the ethical responsibilities of cultural institutions in times of crisis. The coming days promised not only more cinematic spectacle but also continued debate and protest, as Venice became a microcosm of the world’s ongoing struggle to reconcile beauty and brutality, entertainment and engagement.
In the end, the 82nd Venice Film Festival opened not just as a celebration of film, but as a stage for urgent questions about conscience, creativity, and the power of public platforms to confront the world’s most pressing challenges.
